BY GODWIN IJEDIOGOR
THE Delta State Government, on Wednesday, February 19, announced the launch a whistle-blowing policy to enable citizens report poor quality and substandard government projects in the state.
According to the State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, who disclosed this at a press briefing at the state secretariat in Asaba, residents can send text messages or WhatsApp messages, with pictures and videos, where possible, to 09169978305.
Aniagwu, flanked by Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, and Executive Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, stated: “Today, we are launching a new partnership, a partnership that emphasises that Deltans do have a role in governance under the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration.
“As part of that demonstration of that invitation to join us in governance and ensure that value for money is given its pride of place in the administration of Oborevwori, we are launching our whistleblower line, which is already functional, designed for people to reach out to us. We want our people in Delta to be able to interact with government.
“If any project in your community is going on and you feel that either the contractor or the supervising ministry is performing below what you see, or work is below the standard that you believe it should be, our whistleblower line is for you to be able to reach out to us by text messages, WhatsApp messages, and we also encourage pictures and videos, if possible.
“We are using it to ensure that our people who are living in their respective communities participate in our governance process, so that it is not only the ministry or the officials of government that will be able to talk to us or talk to the government, with respect to projects that are within your community.
“In less than 24 hours of making this line public, we have already received reports about some projects being handled far below what the standard should be.
“We are also going to take action against such contractors and officials of government who have failed to execute their responsibilities.”
He continued: “We are taking it very seriously, because our governor believes that value for money is not something that we are going to play with. That we told you we are solvent does not mean that we are going to spend the money as if it doesn’t have value.
“So, any contractor, irrespective of relationship with those of us that are privileged to be in positions of authority should do well. The governor says the only way he will recognise you is that you are able to give the state better value for money.
“Anybody who believes that he/she has been around and nothing will happen, we are putting out the message to them that if they do the wrong thing, something will happen.
“For us to ensure that something happens, we will need the information, because we cannot be in two places at the same time. Through this whistleblower line, they should be able to reach us for us to know those who are trying to shortchange us and take advantage of our common wealth.
“The identity of the whistleblower will be preserved and protected. It is meant to expose those who want to shortchange us, be they people in government or supervisory agencies of government, ministries, departments or the contractors, who ordinarily are supposed to be our partners.
“If you feel the amount a contract is possibly meant to take, in terms of how much should be paid is not enough, write back to us and we will examine it.
“We needed to give our people the number and this is already yielding dividends, which shows that government’s decision to establish and entrench this policy is a right one.
It’s another promise made and another promise kept.”
