BY PATRICK MGBODO
DELTA State Government, yesterday, launched a whistleblower hotline, a citizen-driven feedback mechanism to empower Deltans to actively monitor projects and ensure accountability in public spending.
Re-affirming the state government’s commitment to accountability and transparency, at a press briefing in Asaba, Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads and Public Information), Mr. Charles Aniagwu said the initiative is anchored on the MORE Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
Aniagwu, alongside the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, and Executive Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Projects and Policy, Mr. Olisa Ifejika, announced the whistleblower hotline as 0916 997 8305.
According to Aniagwu, the whistleblower hotline is designed for Deltans to reach out and interact with the government on projects execution across the 25 local government areas of the state.
‘’If there is any project that you feel that either the contractor or the supervising ministry is performing below standards, our whistleblower line is for you to be able to reach out to us (government) through text messages or via WhatsApp to encourage pictorial or video evidence.
‘’We are using this line to ensure that Deltans participate in governance so that it is not only the ministry or government officials that would be able to talk to the governor concerning projects that are within their communities.
‘’In less than 24 hours of launching this whistleblower line, we are receiving reports of projects that are not in sync with the standards of the MORE Agenda and we are also going to take action against such contractors and against government officials who have failed in executing their responsibilities.
‘’We are taking it very seriously because our Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori believes that value for money is not something we are to joke with. That we told Deltans we are solvent does not mean that we will spend the money with reckless abandon. ‘’Therefore, the Governor has directed that the only way to recognize any contractor, irrespective of relationship with the political class, is to give Delta State value for money’’ Aniagwu said, adding the government would not hesitate to sanction erring contractors.
‘’For us to ensure that something happens (sanctions on erring contractors), we will need information since we cannot be everywhere at the same time. However, we believe that Deltans are everywhere in the state and that through this whistleblower line, they would be able to reach us for us to know those trying to take advantage of our commonwealth.
‘’This (whistleblower line) is a very serious business and it can be regarded as the hottest line in Delta. It is meant to expose those who want to shortchange Deltans, be they people in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) or the contractors who should be our partners’’ he said.
The state’s spokesman said: ‘’The number is already yielding dividends and this shows that Governor Oborevwori’s decision to establish and entrench this policy is a right decision. This is another promise made and another promise kept’’
