Abuja, Nigeria – The Civil Empowerment and Rule of Law Support Initiative, CERLSI, has called on the National Assembly to pass pending Witness Protection and Whistleblower bills at the National Assembly so as to firm up the Anti-Corruption fight in Nigeria.
Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku, CERLSI deputy executive director who made the call said that with the recent signing into law three anticorruption bills – the terrorism Financing, the anti-money laundering and the Proceeds of Crime – into law, it behooves on the National Assembly to accelerate quick passage of the Witness Protection and Whistleblower bills for signing and assent.
“The Buhari administration is currently on its last lap in the race of governance in Nigeria. While we cannot say that the anticorruption position of the administration has been stellar, we commend the signing of those three bills passed into law, and encourage the National assembly to consolidate any gain this administration may have achieved by passing witness protection and whistleblowers bills into law,” Mr Etemiku said.
Mr Etemiku said that even though the anti-corruption credentials of the Buhari administration suffered a huge blow with the pardoning of already convicted former governors, passing the witness protection and whistleblower bills would give any incoming administration the necessary tools and legal backup to continue to fight corruption in Nigeria.
CERLSI believes that if the institutions fighting corruption are strengthened with strong laws, Nigeria stands a fighting chance to combat aspects of governance that slows down development.
“We add our voices to those of Non-state actors calling for the quick passing of the witness protection and whistleblower bills by the National Assembly,” Mr Etemiku said in the CERLSI statement.
About CERLSI: To educate Nigerian citizens on the import of the vote, their rights and privileges under the laws of Nigeria.Our focal areas includecitizen engagement and capacity building, Rule of Law, Community advocacy, Media, Human Rights
