Lois Otse Adams
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives, NEITI, and Open Government Partnership, OGP, have pledged collaborative efforts to boost implementation of the National Action Plan, (NAP) III.
National Coordinator of OGP Nigeria, Dr. Gloria Ahmed, assured NEITI of more support and collaboration from OGP on sundry issues in the future. Ahmed spoke in Abuja when she led a Team from OGP Secretariat on an advocacy visit to NEITI’s corporate head office in Abuja.
She commended NEITI for its continued effort in overseeing the extractive industry, stating that
“NEITI is a champion in the struggle to achieve accountability and transparency in the extractive industry.”
The visit was aimed at intimating NEITI of their role in the Third National Action Plan (NAP III), and also to appreciate the agency’s performance in the implementation of NAP II in which Nigeria got global recognition and an award.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, said both organizations share similar setup and operates a multi-stakeholder platform for different partners including state and non-state actors to work together.
While noting that OGP sits on the board of observers at the International level of NEITI, he expressed the need for permanent office space for OGP Secretariat to be situated, to help institutionalize the expansion and protection of civil space, adding that this will enable OGP to be more efficient in delivering its mandates.
According to him, he chaired the extractive transparency thematic group of NAP II where the agency’s commitment was Internationally recognized and awarded, stating that NEITI has continued to be a huge partnership of OGP.
Dr. Orji further recommended that the OGP takes part in next year’s EITI international Conference holding in Dakar in July as this would be the first that will be held in Africa.
“OGP should treat as important NEITI reports, and that relevant documents be given attention and disseminated, especially reports relating to specific agencies in Nigeria, and beyond ,”he said.
The National Action Plans on which the country’s development sits on is part of NEITI’s mandate. The agency was part of the NAP I as well as the development and implementation of NAP II and is confident that the objectives of NAP III will be implemented to sustain the gains of the process so far.
He noted that, OGP should apply formally to be part of the Inter-Agency Task Team of Anti-corruption Agencies, which has the ICPC, EFCC, NAPTIP, CCB and other agencies as members; he added that NEITI happens to be the Secretariat of the alliance.
He asserted that the anti-corruption fight is a collective effort from agencies and so OGP must apply to be part of the task team.
Orji further enjoined the agency to join stakeholders’ engagements on Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which is primarily for state and non-state actors to discuss and engage with the representatives.
He expressed optimism that the next government will recognize the work done so far and continue with the process, as he appreciates the visit and promised stronger relationship in the future.
The oil sector is the primary source of the nation’s booming assets. As a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, EITI, Nigeria is committed to disclosing information and data along the extractive industries value chain; and this includes how extraction rights are awarded and how revenues through the policies of the government benefit her citizens.
