corruption report on YABATECH, recall whistle-blowers

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project
(SERAP) has sent an open letter to the Minister of
Education Mallam Adamu Adamu, urging the
reinstatement of all the eight members of staff of the
Yaba College of Technology, Lagos (YABATECH) who
were sacked as a result of their whistle-blowing
activities.
The organization said over the weekend that it wants
Malam Adamu to “prevail on the Polytechnic Council to
reinstate the whistle-blowers back to their respective
assignments in the Polytechnic with all their
entitlements paid and their promotions effected as their
victimisation is against the spirit of Nigeria’s
international human rights and anticorruption
obligations and commitments, including the UN
Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a
state party.”
The names of the dismissed whistle-blowers are: Mr.
Olugbenga Ibirogba; Mr. Charles Akharayi; Mr. Ayinde
Bamide; Mr. Olusola Dada; Mrs. Gbemisola Dada; Mrs.
Temilola Akinwunmi; Mrs. Mopelola Ibitomi; and Mr.
Adedeji Basiru.
The organization in a letter sent last Friday and signed
by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni also
called for the “immediate release and full
implementation of the report of the 2015 Investigative
Panel headed by Professor Idowu Awopetu that probed
several petitions and allegations of corruption in
YABATECH. The panel has since submitted its report,
findings and recommendations to the Federal
Government.”
The letter reads in part: “SERAP has been fully briefed
by the dismissed staff of YABATECH who were sacked
whistle-blowers because of their public interest
disclosures on alleged corruption and unlawful
enrichment of the Rector of the Institution.”
“Allegations of corruption, unlawful enrichment and the
misuse of power or any position of authority by
Polytechnic personnel for personal gain threaten and
harm the public interest".
SERAP said that it is seriously concerned about the
alleged systemic and widespread nature of the crimes in
an educational institution which is supposed to be
bedrock of learning and good culture.
“We are seriously concerned that the dismissed staff
members have not been appropriately treated or
protected by the Polytechnic authorities or Council to
remedy the exposed threats or harm to them. No
whistle-blower should ever be penalised simply for
making a public interest disclosure. SERAP strongly
believes that every individual should feel safe to freely
raise public interest concerns, just as the above-
mentioned staff members have done in disclosing
information on alleged corruption, fraud and unlawful
enrichment in the Polytechnic.”
“Unless the authorities or Polytechnic council grant
these staff members the appropriate protection
deserving of whistle-blowers, encourage them to
disclose corruption in the educational system and
promptly act on those allegations, a significant
opportunity to protect the institution and public interest
would be missed thereby doing a disservice to their
calling and appointment as Polytechnic council
members.”
SERAP said further that it believes that retaliation or
victimisation of whistle-blowers should not under any
circumstances or anywhere be tolerated, especially
under the watch of the President Muhammadu Buhari
administration, which has been at the forefront of the
anti-corruption crusade.