Seized Ikoyi N13bn: Whistle-blower ‘ll be paid this month – Adeosun

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, on Sunday aforesaid that the whistle-blower who conversant the Economic and financial Crimes Commission of the N13bn recovered from an Ikoyi flat in Lagos would be paid this month.

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Adeosun said this during a statement issued by her Special advisor, Media and Communications, Mr Oluyinka Akintunde.

She denied claims that the govt had withheld any fund as a result of any whistle-blower, adding that the delay was caused by the administrative procedures that has got to be consummated before such funds are free.

The statement scan partly, “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has been drawn to media reports encompassing the payment to a whistle blower, who provided the information that led to the recovery of funds stashed away during a property in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

“The Honourable Minister needs to state without ambiguity that the federal government has not withheld any fund as a result of any whistle-blower.

“The ministry has in situ elaborate procedures for processing payments due underneath the whistle-blower policy.

“The procedures were designed to stop abuse and legal disputes and to make sure protection of the information suppliers.

“These procedures embody an application by the agency who recovered the funds together with proof of the recovery, confirmation that there aren’t any unfinished legal problems on the recovery, verification of the identity of the knowledge supplier, calculation of the amount collectable and computation of relevant taxes.

“It should be declared additionally that payments are made in monthly batches to make sure management and to safeguard the identity of information providers.

“To date, over twenty of such persons are paid. From accessible records, the payment due on Ikoyi is among those being processed within the November batch, which can be discharged inside this month.”

Adeosun restated that the whistleblowing policy of the federal government remains one among this administration’s flourishing initiatives which the govt was totally committed to making sure that every one those that seasoned the policy and partnered with it within the recovery effort ar paid fully and most significantly have their identity protected.

The whistle-blower policy was introduced in December 2016 by the central as a part of the initiatives to wage war against corruption.