NEITI Targets Report Recommendations Implementation, Inaugurates Task Team To Drive Process

Few days after the inauguration of the NEITI National Stakeholders Working Group (NEITI Board) chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, The NEITI Inter Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) was also inaugurated this Monday in Abuja.

The Inter-Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) will oversee the implementation of NEITI’s industry reports findings and recommendations and strengthen the on-going reforms in the extractive sector. 

The executive secretary while inaugurating the Task Team on behalf of the Board conveyed the expectation of the NSWG to use the IMTT platform to effectively implement the NEITI report findings and recommendations at the respective agencies. 

The executive secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji who is Secretary to the Board explained that the reconstitution of the Inter Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) is aimed at deepening government oversight and driving reforms in the oil, gas, and mining sectors.

“The IMTT is to study very carefully each NEITI industry report, map out the key findings and recommendations in these reports and identify the agencies that are responsible to carry out the remedial actions as recommended by the Independent Administrators”. Dr Orji reaffirmed. 

Dr. Orji emphasised the importance of the IMTT in the on-going reforms in the extractive sector stating that: “The objective of the IMTT is to ensure that the findings of these reports help to deepen government oversight and reform in a manner that provides the greatest good for the greatest number of Nigerians who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the natural resources endowed in the country”.

The executive secretary explained that the IMTT is expected to focus on a remediation program anchored on NEITI’s mission which is to institutionalise accountability mechanisms and processes to instil a culture of transparency and participation in Nigeria’s extractive sector for the benefit of all. 

This will involve enhancing synergies among stakeholders that promotes a common data platform, understanding industry best practices, and instituting a structured communication framework.

Dr Orji reiterated that the last EITI validation and the recent international mission conducted by the EITI in Nigeria, equally identified the need for the Inter Ministerial Task Team  and reinforced NEITI’s position that the task team should be invigorated and strengthened to help oversee the implementation of NEITI reports recommendations.

“NEITI is therefore convinced that the IMTT framework is better positioned to meet the challenges identified in the governance framework that has been put in place for the extractive sector.” Dr. Orji noted 

The executive secretary expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, civil society organisations, and companies in the NEITI-Companies forum and the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) for their cooperation and partnership. NEITI also acknowledged the support of anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in monitoring non-compliance by some covered entities.

NEITI called on all covered entities to fully cooperate and provide the necessary information and data in a timely manner, emphasising that adherence to this requirement is fundamental and mandatory.

At the inauguration, the executive secretary announced the commencement of its 2022/2023 industry reports of the oil, gas, and solid minerals sectors and stated that NEITI is committed to publishing these reports by September 2024.

Chair of the NEITI IMTT, Simon Tyungu, director, Mains Office at the SGF urged members of the IMTT to be committed to the assignment and ensure that the findings and the recommendations are given the right attention.

The Inter Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) Membership include representatives from key government agencies such as the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Revenue Mobilization, Allocation & Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF), Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mining Cadastre Office, among others.

The diverse composition of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team is expected to facilitate the implementation of NEITI’s recommendations across various agencies.