House of Reps to amend NEITI Act
…Grants stronger legislative power to prosecute corruption, infractions in oil and gas sectors
By Akinyemi Precious
The House of Representatives has made it known that it plans to provide legislative back up and stronger power to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
This is to be able to prosecute infractions in the extractive sector. This will be based on the findings and recommendations by experts in the industry.
This was revealed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Downstream Hon. Ikeagwonu Ugochinyere during a courtesy visit to the office of the Executive Secretary, Dr Ogbonannaya Orji at the NEITI House.
However, NEITI has over the years released reports revealing the magnitude of revenue losses and corruption in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and extractive industries due to oil theft and economic saboteurs and this decision by the National Assembly to provide legislative backing to the agency will improve in Nigeria’s oil sector.
In his statement, he said that if Committees of the National Assembly in the past had given more attention to the findings and recommendations of the NEITI industry reports, there couldn’t have been a need for some public hearings and investigations.
He commended NEITI for the exceptional work it has done over the years in leading on issues of transparency and accountability in the Nigeria extractive sector. He also admonished that NEITI should work hand in hand with the National Assembly through the provision of information and data that will help members in their work. He also appealed to NEITI to see the Committee as a partners in the project of transparency.
Dr. Orji, in his response sought the Committee’s support to facilitate the debate of the NEITI Industry Reports at the plenary of the National Assembly.
“At NEITI, our duty is to provide information and data, the duty of the civil society and the National Assembly is to use the information and data to hold both government and companies to account,” he said.
To enable the Committee on PIA to finalise its work on the implementation of the Act, reconstitution of the Petroleum Industry Act Implementation Committee (PISTEERCO) was also sought for.
