NEITI expresses concern over non-implementation of reports
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), has expressed concern over the non-implementation of its findings and recommendation concerning dealings in the oil and gas industry.
The Executive Secretary, Waziri Adio, while speaking in Abuja recently, said there several reports with far-reaching recommendations that have been placed in the public domain with clear challenges of implementation.
He urged the National Assembly to study the reports as important documents that would aid their oversight representative and law-making responsibilities.
Speaking while receiving the members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Petroleum Upstream, who were on monitoring and oversight visit to the NEITI Secretariat, Adio explained that NEITI reports contain detailed information and data on company payments and government receipts as well as the process lapses and remedial actions required in the industry.
“We see the parliament as important partners not just because we are answerable to you, and we need you to approve our budget but because our reports can and should be inputs to your important work,” he added
He commended the National Assembly for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, saying the development further supports NEITI’s mandate, and strengthening reforms in the industry, and key to promoting investments and better revenue generation.
Adio told the legislators that NEITI’s decision to develop a new strategic plan to cover the period from 2017 to 2021, is to deepen openness, and shape positively the overall governance of the sector through policy engagement, thought leadership, and inter-agency collaboration.
He identified funding, manual data collection, and human capacity development as major challenges.
Responding, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Upstream, Victor Nwokolo, expressed satisfaction over the impact of NEITI’s intervention in pushing for reforms in the extractive industries.
Nwokolo commended NEITI for its professionalism in the discharge of its mandate, while urging it to consider as a priority the need to work more closely with the National Assembly to advance accountability in Nigeria.
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