Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has inaugurated board members for the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
While inaugurating the board on Thursday, Mustapha said they were appointed based on their track records and urged urged them to be non-partisan.
Mustapha said “Let me, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, begin by congratulating you all on your appointment as members of the 5th National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG), which is the governing board of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
“I am proud to say that this Board was carefully selected based on individual merits and track records. 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.
According to the SGF, “The present administration is passionate about the EITI process because it serves two key agendas of this administration. As you are aware, the extractive industry is very strategic to Nigeria’s economy and hence central to the administration’s economic agenda. Secondly, transparency and accountability in the management of our national resources is equally central to the anticorruption agenda of 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 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. It has supported phenomenal revenue growth in the sector through meticulous application of EITI principles.
He reminded them that, “As members of this board, you must ensure that NEITI contnues to preserve these virtues for the benefit of all of us present here today and for future generations.”
He added, that “In Order to achieve this, I must remind you that your assignment is non-partisan because NEITT itself is non-political and has maintained dignified neutrality all through almost two decades of existence.”
The new board members were also told that their “appointment is a part-time one. You are therefore advised to conduct yourselves in accordance with this requirement.
Your mandate as the Board of this organization is to ensure effective EITI implementation in Nigeria by providing policy and strategic direction, guidance, monitoring and oversight to EITI process in Nigeria.
“Let me remind you that unlike most agencies government, NEITI is not just a local agency of the government, but part of an international organization. Hence it must be seen to comply with the principles of the of international 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, anmong others.
“It is against this background that I wish to stress that by this appointment, enormous responsibilities have been placed on your shoulders. I have no doubt that considering the caliber of the membership of this Board, you will deliver on this important mandate. I therefore urge you all to consider your appointment as an opportunity to give back to your country ..
He added that he was “aware of the giant strides and laudable achievements that NEITI has already recorded over the development of our extractive secto years by previous Boards in the implementation of Elll in Nigeria. But I trust that vou will not only consolidate on these achievements, but you will also build strongly and surpass them.
“On behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, I have the honor and privilege to inaugurate the Board and wish you a very successful tenure.”
FULL LIST: BOARD MEMBERS OF NEITI
- Olusegun Adeyemi Adekunle, Esq. Chairman
(Public Administrator/Retired Federal Permanent Secretary) - Group Managing Director, (NNPC) Mele Kyari – Member
(Representing National Oil Gas Company Industry) - Executive Chairman, FIRS, Muhammad Mamman Nami Member
(Extractive Industry Revenue accountability) - President, Nigeria Mining & Geosciences Society Alabo Charles
Member
(Extractive Industry Professional Union)
5 President, PENGASSAN Comrade Festus Osifo member
(Extractive Industries Professional Union
Industries) - Mr. Lorenzo Fiorillo Member
Chairman OPTS Representative- IOCs, Oil, Gas Industry Companies - Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade Member
(Representative, GOvernment Extractive Industries- Mining)
8.Peter Egbule member
(National Coordinator, Publish What You Pay representative, Civil Society) - Dr. Bashir Bature Gafai Member
(Geo-Political Rep: North-West Zone) - Dr. Iliya Gashinbaki Member
(Geo-Political Rep: North-East Zonel - Godwin Akor Ogwuche Member
(Geo-Political Rep:North-Central Zone) - Professor Damilola Olawuyi Member
(Geo-Political Rep: South-West Zonel - Dr. Nze Joe Ibeh Member
(Geo-Political Rep: South-East Zonel - Awowoh ChristianMember
( Geo-Political Rep: South-South Zone) - Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji Member
(Executive Secretary, NEITI by virtue of Office)
