Nigerian Government Inaugurates Newly Reconstituted NEITI Board

The Nigerian government has inaugurated members of the 6th National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG), which is the governing board of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Secretary to the government of the Federation George Akume who inaugurated the board on said President Bola Tinubu’s administration remain committed to the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the work of NEITI and the visible impacts which the EITI process has achieved so far in Nigeria.

Akume further noted that the appointment of the NEITI board was another positive statement of President Tinubu’s open support, commitment to transparency and accountability in the extractive industry and management of the nation’s economic resources.

He said: ” As you are aware, the extractive industry is very strategic to Nigeria’s economy. For this administration’s economic agenda, the sector holds the future. Secondly, transparency and accountability in the management of our national resources is equally central to the anticorruption agenda of this government. Nigeria is therefore irrevocably committed to the implementation of EITI in the oil, gas, and mining industries.

Our faith in the EITI process is not just because it is central 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 and data required for national planning and reforms”

Akume urged the Board to supports NEITI to preserve its corporate values, remain focused and committed to its values of transparency and accountability for the benefit of all.

He advised the members to be non-partisan in the discharge of their responsibilities because NEITI itself is non- political and has maintained dignified neutrality all through its two decades of existence.

“It is also necessary for me to stress that your appointment is a part-time one. Your appointment as a member of the NSWG is not a full time job and as members, please note this very carefully to avoid getting involved into issues of day to day management which is the work of NEITI management under the leadership of the Executive Secretary. You are therefore advised to conduct yourselves in accordance with this requirement.

Your mandate as the Board of this organisation, I once again restate is to ensure effective policy direction and oversight required to deepen EITI in Nigeria”

The 15-man National Stakeholders’ Working Group (NSWG) for (NEITI)has the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume as Chairman.

The event was attended by the Management Team of NEITI led by the Executive Secretary Dr. Orgi Ogbonnaya.