Chiefs and people of Dormabin schooled on Whistle Blowers Act

The Krachi East Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Oti Region has sensitised the chiefs and people of Dormabin in the Municipality on the Whistle Blower Act 720(2006).

The Commission entreated the participants to demand accountability from officeholders as well as those entrusted with power.

The sensitization was on the theme: “Public Accountability and Environmental Governance,” and formed part of the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti –Corruption Programme (ARAP), aimed at tackling corruption and its related issues, with sponsorship from the European Union (EU).

Mr Clement Kwesi Mamadu, Krachi East Director, NCCE, said the main objective of the engagement was to promote good governance in the country, reduce corruption and improve accountability and environmental governance as well as compliance with the rule of law.

He said the engagement also aimed at sensitizing the citizenry on the legal regimes related to public accountability, especially the Whistle Blower Act to empower them to join the crusade in fighting against the canker of corruption in the country.

Mr Mamadu said though the country had many laws that frowns on corruption, it was unfortunate that the citizens failed to utilize them for the good of society.

He said a person could make a disclosure of information under the Whistle Blowers Act, only where the person had reasonable cause to believe that the information tended to show “an economic crime has been committed, is about to be committed or is likely to be committed."

In a communique issued after the Oti Regional Level Focus Group Discussion on Accountability and Environmental Governance at Dambai, on September 4, 2019, the citizens were urged to be bold and report acts of corruption to Anti-corruption agencies like the CHRAJ, EOCO, Police and the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

It also urged government to show much commitment to name and shame its own for acts of corruption, and that, “public servants should stop asking citizens to grease their palms before official duties are performed."

The communique also asked Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to work to reduce bureaucracies in the release and disbursements of the Disability Fund and also ensure that contracts were awarded to competent contractors.