Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, has called for the modification of the whistle blower policy, saying it can damage the economy if not well managed.
Jonathan made the recommendation while reacting to the invasion of the Abuja residence of a judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili, allegedly on the information given by a whistleblower.
He spoke while delivering the graduation lecture at the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja on Thursday.
The lecture was titled, ‘Repositioning the Nigerian Economy for Sustainable Development: Challenges and Prospects’.
He stated, “The concept of whistle blowing helps to give information, but that information should be slightly investigated and you need to be sure before you strike. It should be modified so that the security operatives don’t go into the voice of discoveries.
“If things are not done properly, people will exploit it to their advantage. People, who give wrong information to the security operatives, should be punished. As much as whistle blowing is okay, it will help to control us. It must be done in a way that will not injure our economy.”
The ex-President said weak local government administration and institutions are contributing to the insecurity bedevilling the country.
According to him, the tension brewing in many communities is as a result of a weak local government system.
Jonathan said, “The local government system that’s supposed to interface with communities directly and prevent insecurity is dead in this country. In terms of governance, nothing is happening at that level; the community engagement is so weak.
“The states must have strong departments that can coordinate the affairs of these local governments. These departments must have regular meetings with traditional rulers and community development committees to assess the threat level in these communities.
“What we have now is that communities have a lot of tension due to the weakness of the lower level of government, which has led to major conflicts. The Federal Government can deploy troops, but that can never solve our problems.”
He added that just like the local government, the nation lacked strong institutions capable of managing crises.
Copyright PUNCH.
