by Azeez Adeniyi

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate recall of a whistleblower, Ntia Thompson who was sacked for revealing a fraud of $229,000 and N800,000 by top officials of the Department of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA).

In a letter by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, the Federal Government ordered that Thompson must be recalled by the DTCA to his post pending the completion of investigation of the alleged fraud at the agency.

The letter dated April 5 rejected insinuations that Thompson was fired for violating oath of secrecy and other acts of indiscipline.

[Read Also: REINSTATE SACKED WHISTLEBLOWER IMMEDIATELY, SERAP TELLS ONYEAMA]

The letter read in part, “However, she is committed to safeguarding the policy of Government on the protection of whistleblowers and directs its full implementation by all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government. 

“You are therefore requested to furnish this office with the level of compliance of the earlier directive conveyed in the letter of 23rd February, 2017, Ref. No: HCSF/LU/CORRfMFAl803/86, and any other development on the matter as may be necessary.

“Please accept the assurances of the warm regards of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.”

It was however gathered that there is yet to be any form of compliance to the memo.

Acting Director General of the DTCA, Mohammed Kachallah however denied that Thompson was sacked for whistleblowing.

Kachallah said, “Management has no evidence before it to suggest that Mr. Thompson wrote any petition to the EFCC. Also note, Your Excellency, that during the period the officer was reprimanded for disclosing official information without authorization and for his absence from work without leave, I was neither under any investigation by the EFCC nor have I been indicted till date for any wrongdoing by the EFCC or any other investigative agency for that matter,” he said.