ABSTRACT
Nigeria has made a significant progress in the increase of the awareness on the importance of whistleblowing practices in work place, many have remained silent and choose not to report the wrongdoings of their employers. Whistleblowing is one of the internal control mechanisms to deter organizational wrongdoings and it is therefore important to encourage those with broad knowledge to come forward to disclose this information. This study examined the effect of whistleblowing in the Nigeria context. The study adopted the descriptive method of analysis and chose the ministry of finance as a case study. The data were collected using the primary and secondary medium. The data was analyzed using chi-square tool of SPSS. The study found out that Nigerians has a positive perception of whistleblowing as a tool to curb corruption, however, this positivity is weak as they expressed fears to being hunted after blowing the so called whistle. The recommends that whistle blowing mechanisms should be effective utilized to combat illicit activities and corruption in the public sector, and internal whistle blowing mechanisms should be encouraged more in public sector.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Research Hypotheses
1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Scope and limitation of the study
1.7 Definition of terms
1.8 Organization of the study
CHAPETR TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 sources of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling and sampling distribution
3.5 Validation of research instrument
3.6 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introductions
4.2 Data analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
The level of profligacy in the public sector as exposed over time has brought to the fore the importance of whistle-blower‘s in Nigeria. The Achilles heel of whistle-blowing in Nigeria is the absence of laws guiding whistle-blowing and guarding whistle-blowers (Babajide, 2013). Fraud, forgery and corruption are baleful triplets bedevilling Africa as a continent and particularly Nigeria as a nation. These hydria monsters as many call them have continued to reverberate within our economic lives despite severally offered scholastic solutions theoretically and practically. In the ranking of countries by Transparency International using corruption perception index (CPI), Nigeria has continued to be viewed as a country synonymous to corruption. For instance in 2014 Nigeria was ranked 144 out of 177 countries assessed and also in 2015, Nigeria ranked 136 out of 167 countries assessed with a score of 26%. It was also stated by Transparency International from 2009 through 2013 that Nigeria has CPIA transparency, accountability, and corruption in the public sector rating is 3 out of 6, with 1 meaning low and 6 meaning high. According to Osinbajo (2016) Nigeria lost about $15 billion to fraudulent and corrupt practices in security equipment spending during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. The resultant effects of fraud, forgery and corruption on any economy no matter how strong or buoyant are grievous and disastrous as such country cannot uphold the scandalous degree of corruption in both private and public sector. The level of corruption, forgery and fraud in Nigeria has continue to call the attention of the global community; during a conversation at the Buckingham Palace at an event to mark Queen of England 90th Birthday, David Cameroon(UK, Prime Minister) described Nigeria as being fantastically corrupt‘ The poor people are unable to benefit from Nigeria‘s wealth because of high levels of corruption and the excessive influence that big business and wealthy elite have over government policy making (Oxfam, 2017). The report by Oxfam suggested that Nigeria is not a poor country yet millions are living in hunger. For example, public office holders stole an estimated $20 trillion from the treasury between 1960 and 2005. And while multinational companies receive tax incentives worth an estimated $2.9 billion a year – three times more than Nigeria‘s entire health budget – small and medium-sized businesses and workers in the informal sector face multiple taxes. The consequence of these triplets (corruption, forgery and fraud) is that the generality of the people in Nigeria will continue to wallow in poverty while a few who are beneficiaries of these corruption, forgery and frauds will continue to live a life of opulence and abundance. These problems despite huge is not insurmountable; it is curable with use of right set of tools and strategies. Whistle blowing has been found to be a panacea to fighting the menace of fraud, forgery and corruption. A peep into other space and climes revealed that one of the formidable tools used to nib the hydria monsters of fraud, forgery and corruption in the bud has been whistle-blowing. Even within Nigeria a number of organizations are beginning to appreciate the potency of this weapon. The successes of whistle blowing in other climes and even within some reputable organization together with the gamut of evidences before the current regime in Nigeria informed the introduction of the policy. According to the former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the primary goal of the whistle blowing policy is to support the fight against financial crimes and corruption, by increasing exposure of financial crimes and rewarding whistle-blowers. In order to promote such exposure, whistle-blowers are encouraged and offered protection from harassment or intimidation by their bosses or employers. The hope is that more looted funds will be recovered through the encouragement of voluntary information about corrupt practices (Akinnaso, 2017).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Corruption is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabrics of every system in Nigeria. It is a crime with such a despicable viral effect and disastrous tendency like a terror bomb. Though it is more of an executive crime but no well-meaning government handles corruption with levity because the extremity of its ugly tentacles is capable of obstructing good governance. Therefore, the system has to be sanitized to make the process hitch free for strategic developmental adventure. One of the major challenges in the fight against corruption is detecting and exposing corruption. Whistle blowing therefore becomes a veritable means to fight this cancerous crime. After all, criminal justice exists for the control and prevention of crime. However, in every crime control and prevention exercise, due process of law demands that no free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will the state proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except in accordance with the law or by the lawful judgment of a competent court. This study therefore seeks to examine how whistleblowing has influenced the paradigm for corruption in Nigeria.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The study has the following aims and objectives:
- To determine the Nigerian perception of corruption.
- To determine the public perception of whistleblowing as a tool for curbing corruption.
- To determine the effect of whistleblowing on the Nigerian perception of corruption.
1.4 Research Questions
The study seeks to provide answers to the following research questions:
- What is the Nigerian perception of corruption?
- Does the public have a positive or negative perception of whistleblowing as a tool for curbing corruption?
- What is the effect of whistleblowing on the paradigm of corruption in Nigeria?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The study developed and formulated for testing the following hypotheses:
H0: There is a negative perception of whistleblowing as a tool for curbing corruption in Nigeria.
H1: There is a negative perception of whistleblowing as a tool for curbing corruption in Nigeria.
H0: There is no significant effect of whistleblowing on the paradigm of corruption in Nigeria.
H1: There is no significant effect of whistleblowing on the paradigm of corruption in Nigeria.
1.6 Significance of the study
Corruption has been widely pointed out as a killer disease in Nigeria while whistleblowing is an antidote to this disease. It is therefore on this premise that this study will help throw more light on the origin, function and effect of whistleblowing in Nigeria. The study will x-rayed the importance of whistleblowing in order to help the reading public understand better the tool of whistleblowing. This study is also a contribution to the numerous literatures on whistleblowing. Finally, the study will serve as a reference point for further researches.
1.7 Scope and Limitation of the study
The study will cover the effect of whistleblowing and will focus on the ministry of finance as a case study. Several literatures on the subject matter will be considered. The study was limited by time, as there was no enough time to carry out this study. Also, the case study lacked the right time to give out information through the questionnaire. The study is again limited by finance as money is required to carry out effective research and even extend the scope of the study to accommodate other ministries and even the private sector.
1.8 Definition of Terms
- Whistleblower: A whistleblower is a person, who could be an employee of a company, or a government agency, disclosing information to the public or some higher authority about any wrongdoing, which could be in the form of fraud, corruption, etc.
- Paradigm: is a model for something which explains it or shows how it can be produced.
- Corruption: corruption is a form of dishonesty or criminal activity undertaken by a person or organization entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire illicit benefit.
1.8 Organization of the Study
The study is divided into five chapters. Chapter one deals with the study’s introduction and gives a background to the study. Chapter two reviews related and relevant literature. The chapter three gives the research methodology while the chapter four gives the study’s analysis and interpretation of data. The study concludes with chapter five which deals on the summary, conclusion and recommendation.
EFFECT OF WHISTLE BLOWING
