In a bid to ensure greater transparency and accountability in its public projects, the Delta State Government has officially launched a Whistleblower policy aimed at exposing and addressing substandard works.
This policy seeks to empower citizens and civil servants to report any discrepancies or corruption surrounding government contracts and projects, particularly those that compromise quality and public welfare.
The State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine), and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, made the disclosure on Wednesday February 19, 2025, in Asaba, the State Capital.
The Commissioner was joined by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Oloroso Sir Festus Ahon, and the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Enlightenment, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika.
The move comes as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to improve governance and ensure that taxpayer money is effectively utilized for the benefit of the Deltans.
With this new line, the State Government is encouraging whistleblowers to come forward without fear of retaliation, offering protection for those who report wrongdoings.
This initiative is expected to play a crucial role in promoting integrity in public works, ensuring that only quality, properly executed projects are undertaken, and addressing potential lapses in governance.
Through this effort, the state aims to create a more robust system of checks and balances that will help safeguard the interests of Deltans.
His words: “This is to ensure that value for money is given its pride of place in the administration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, that we are launching whistle blower line and that the line even before we made it public, is already functioning.
“Our whistle blower line, is a line that is designed for people to reach out to us. Our people in Delta, we ant them 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 you believe to be the standard, our whistle blower line is for you to be able to reach out to us; text and Whatsapp messages to encourage pictures and videos if possible.
“This line is for serious business, 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, officials of government that will be able to talk to us or to the governor in respect to projects that are within your communities.
“In less than 24 hours that we made this line public, we have already received reports about some projects that are being handled far below what the standard should be and we are also going to take action against such contractors and also against officials of government who have failed to execute their responsibilities.
“We are taking it very serious because our governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, believes that value for money is not something that we are going to joke with.
“That we told you that we are subvent 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 if us that are privileged to be in position of authority even if you have the same surname with the governor, the governor says the only way to recognize you is that you are able to give Deltans the value for money.
“And so, any body who believes that he has been around and nothing will happen, we are pushing out the message to Deltans that if you do the wrong thing, something will happen.
“And for us to ensure that something happens, we will need the information because we cannot be in two places at the same time but for those places that we will not be opportune to be at a particular time, we believe that Deltans are in those places.
“And that through this whistle blower 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”.
He reiterated the gravity of the matter, calling the hotline the most crucial and sensitive in the state.
He guaranteed that the identities of whistleblowers would be kept confidential and protected, emphasizing that the process is designed to target individuals seeking to undermine the State for personal gain, “be it people in government or be it supervising Ministries, Departments or agencies of government or a contractor who ordinarily are supposed to be our partners”.
Restating, he said: “if you feel that the amount of a contract is possibly meant to change in terms of how much you should be paid is not enough, write back to us and we will reexamine it if you are saying the truth or you are trying to cut corner.
“But to say that for ay reason you are performing below what the standard should be, the administration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori will not take it no matter who is involved.
“The number 09169978305 is already yielding dividends which shows that the governor’s decision to establish and entrench this policy, is a right decision that the governor has taken. So, it is another promise made, another promise kept”, he said
