Whistle-blowers to get N50m for any N1bn recovered -Lai

The Federal Government has vowed to protect the identity of all whistle-blowers, whether in the public or the private sector, and also ensure that the information they provide is kept secret.

It has also promised that if a whistle-blower provides information leading to the recovery of N10billion, he will receive five per cent of the first N1billion, four per cent of the next N4billion and 2.5 per cent of the remaining N5billion.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Lagos on Sunday.

He said, ”For those who may have suffered any backlash as a result of the information they provide, their cases will be reviewed and appropriate mitigating actions taken.

”Whistle-blowers have nothing to fear, because the committee has put in place the necessary measures to safeguard those who give useful information. As a matter of fact, whistle-blowers have everything to gain and nothing to lose.”

The minister said the Federal Government has concluded that any whistle-blower whose information leads to the recovery of up to N1billion will receive five per cent of the amount and that the reward for any amount between N1 and N5billion will be five per cent for the first N1billion Naira and four per cent of the remaining N4billion and that any amount over N5billion will attract 2.5 per cent reward.

He said, ”For example, if a whistle-blower provides information leading to the recovery of N10billion, he or she will receive five per cent of the first N1billion, four per cent of the next N4billion and 2.5 per cent of the remaining N5billion.

”What we have done by making this information public is to reassure potential whistle-blowers that the plan to reward is real. We are not just saying we will pay all whistle-blowers, but we are letting them know in advance what they are entitled to, once the information they provide leads to the recovery of looted funds”, the minister said.

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