The Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, has hailed the state’s whistle-blowing policy as a transformative initiative driving transparency, accountability, and value-for-money governance under the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
Speaking on Niger Delta Today on Advocate Broadcasting Network (ADBN) on Friday, Ifeajika explained that the policy, introduced by Governor Oborevwori, empowers citizens to actively monitor public projects and report lapses directly to the government through dedicated communication channels.
He noted that the whistle-blowing mechanism was conceived as part of the governor’s vision to ensure that every naira spent on public infrastructure delivers tangible benefits to the people of Delta State.
According to him, the initiative complements the governor’s inspection-driven approach to governance, ensuring project quality and preventing waste.
The essence of whistle-blowing is to make sure that citizens get value for the money government spends on their behalf,” Ifeajika said. “The governor cannot be everywhere, nor can commissioners or officials, so the people themselves have become part of the inspection process.
He revealed that since the introduction of the policy, compliance among contractors has significantly improved, with many adopting stricter quality control measures due to increased community scrutiny.
> “Even the contractors are now cautious. They don’t know who among the residents may report irregularities. Everyone wants to do better. It’s now a healthy competition to deliver quality projects,” he added.
Ifeajika assured Deltans that the government had instituted strong confidentiality measures to protect whistle-blowers from victimization or any form of backlash.
No one will be punished for offering developmental information,” he assured. “This is public ownership. The infrastructure belongs to all Deltans, not to the governor or the commissioner. Everyone is a stakeholder.
He explained that all reports received through the whistle-blowing channels are thoroughly verified before any action is taken. The system, he said, focuses on visible public infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals, and other utilities, and also extends to the civil service, where officers are encouraged to expose corruption or administrative misconduct.
Ifeajika disclosed that some engineers and supervising officials had been sanctioned for negligence or complicity in substandard work, reaffirming the administration’s zero tolerance for poor performance.
Some government officials have been reprimanded for looking the other way,” he said. “The goal is to ensure that public funds yield durable infrastructure and that we don’t keep revisiting the same projects.”
The governor’s aide described the policy as one of the most popular governance innovations in the state, with residents increasingly embracing it as part of their civic duty.
> “Our style in Delta is different. We’ve turned governance into a collective enterprise. When people see that their input is respected, they become more interested in protecting public assets,” he noted.
Ifeajika expressed optimism that the whistle-blowing policy would outlive the present administration, given its proven effectiveness and broad acceptance.
> “This is one good legacy that will endure. Future administrations will continue with it because it works. It’s not about politics, it’s about accountability, good governance, and ensuring that Delta remains on the path of progress,” he affirmed.
He concluded by commending Governor Oborevwori for pioneering a participatory governance model that places citizens at the centre of development monitoring, ensuring transparency and accountability from project conception to completion.