Mustapha inaugurates NEITI board chaired by Adekunle

Thu, Jul 22, 2021
By editor
3 MIN READ

Politics

By Anthony Isibor.

THE federal government has inaugurated the board of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, which is chaired by Olusegun Adeyemi Adeniyi, a lawyer and retired permanent secretary.

Realnews reports that members of the 15-man board are Mele Kyari, group managing director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,  NNPC, representing National Oil Gas Company Industry; Muhammad Mamman Nami, executive chairman, FIRS, representing extractive industry revenue accountability; Alabo Charles, president, Nigeria Mining  & Geosciences Society representing extractive industry professional union; president, Festus Osifo, PENGASSAN member (Extractive Industries Professional Union Industries) and Lorenzo Fiorillo, chairman OPTS Representative- IOCs, Oil, Gas Industry Companies.

Others are Oluwatoyin Akinlade, permanent secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (Representative, Government Extractive Industries- Mining); Peter Egbule, national coordinator, Publish What You Pay representative, Civil Society; Bashir Bature Gafai, (Geo-Political Rep: North-West Zone); Iliya Gashinbaki (Geo-Political Rep: North-East Zonel; Godwin Akor  Ogwuche; (Geo-Political Rep:North-Central Zone); Professor Damilola  Olawuyi; (Geo-Political Rep: South-West Zone); Nze Joe Ibeh; (Geo-Political Rep: South-East Zone); Awowoh Christian (Geo-Political Rep: South-South Zone);  and Orji Ogbonnaya Orji,(Executive Secretary, NEITI by virtue of Office).

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the federal government, SGF, who performed the ceremony on behalf of the government on Thursday, July 22, said that the inauguration was as a result of the strategic nature of the extractive industry to Nigeria’s economy which is central to the administration’s economic agenda.

Secondly, Mustapha said transparency and accountability in the management of our national resources is equally central to the anticorruption agenda of Nigeria which is therefore irrevocably committed to the implementation of EITI in the oil, gas, and mining industries.

The SGF stressed that the appointment is a part-time one. And therefore advised, that they conduct themselves in accordance with this requirement.

“Our faith in the EITI process is not just because it is key to these two key government agendas, but also because, over the years, NEITI has demonstrated a high degree of competence, integrity and commitment to the values that the country requires to achieve economic growth and development in the sector through availability of reliable information data required for national planning and reforms.

The board members, who commence as the 5th National Stakeholders Working Group, NSWG, which is the governing board of the NEITI, were urged to carry out their mandate to the best of their abilities with transparency and merits as it was the basis upon which their appointments was based.

“Your appointment and inauguration, which is taking place here today, is another practical demonstration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of our economic resources, and especially given the mandate and objectives of the Nigeria EITI.

“Let me also on behalf of Mr. President use this opportunity to renew the commitment of the Nigerian government to the EITI implementation under the provisions of the NEITI Act 2007, and international standards and best practices under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative principles and emerging issues such as Beneficial Ownership Disclosure, Contract Transparency, data mainstreaming, among others.

“As members of this board, you must ensure that NEITI continues to preserve these virtues for the benefit of all of us present here today and for future generations.

“In Order to achieve this, I must remind you that your assignment is non-partisan because NEITI itself is non-political and has maintained dignified neutrality all through almost two decades of existence.

-July 22, 2021 @ 17:49 GMT |

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