WE WILL AMEND NEITI ACT FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE: CHAIRMAN HOUSE COMMITTEE 22-09-23
By Sadiq Aminu The House of Representatives says it will champion the amendment of the act establishing the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI to make the Agency function optimally and prosecute offenders in the Petroleum industry.
The Chairman, House committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) Ikeangwuonu Ugochinyere Stated this during a working visit to the NEITI headquarters in Abuja.
He said the committee would also ensure that NEITI receives adequate funding to enable it perform other duties without hindrance in line with the vision and transparency posture of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration.
Mr Ugochinyere said the committee would work out modalities to ensure that the information and data released by NEITI becomes part put into use to reposition the Petroleum industry.
‘’We assure you of our readiness to propose a legislation that gives NEITI stronger powers to discharge it’s responsibilities, that is in the form of amendment to NEITI act to give it disciplinary action against offenders, also empowering NEITI to investigate offences and recommend the prosecution of offenders by relevant investigative agencies of the government” he said.
The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonaya Orji thanked the lawmakers for their renewed commitment towards ensuring transparency and accountability in the oil and gas as well as the Solid minerals sectors.
“Some investigations you see around might be as a result of the information and data we shared among the agencies we partner with. On role of NASS, one request we have consistently placed on the table is the fact that as soon as these reports are published, they should be pushed to the plenary for debate. That’s how it works. Our duty is provide the data and information, it is the duty of NASS to use them to hold government functionaries accountable ” he argued.
Dr. Orji urged the committee to assist NEITI get its Board on stream as soon as possible in line with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI’s standard for revalidation.