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The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) says it has not hired staff without due process.
He said in Abuja that the media report to that effect "is false, uninformed, misleading and lacking a fair hearing."
Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive Secretary, NEITI made this clarification at the induction training for his new staff.
“We are disappointed that the story authors never bothered to consult with NEITI for our feedback on fairness and balance.
“However, let me reassure all Nigerians, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and our global partners that NEITI is certainly aware of and quite sensitive to our public ethics and commitments to the EITI principles,” he said.
He said that the induction/training had been designed to introduce staff to the world of transparency accountability in the management of the oil, gas and mining sector through the instruments of NEITI/EITI.
“You join our organization at a time when issues of poor governance, lack of transparency and accountability in the extractive industry are national and global concerns, especially in Nigeria.
“This induction program is one of the crucial steps we have taken to prepare you for the task ahead and embed you into NEITI's culture and principles of transparency, integrity and accountability.
“The key message here is that there is a void in NEITI that they have been recruited to come in and fill,” he said.
He said that to start the recruitment, the Human Resources Committee of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) that conducted the exercise, reviewed more than 2,000 Curriculum Vitaes in the NEITI database of applicants under the NEITI policy "Leave the request back".
“This is a policy implemented over the years to preserve and provide hope for applicants seeking a career with the organization,” he said.
He said the waiver granted to the NEITI Commission (FCC) was informed to the applications the agency received in the course of the contracting exercise.
Of this large number of applications, according to him, 166 candidates are shortlisted and invited for interviews.
He said that of these numbers, 145 people attended, 18 people were absent, and three were disqualified due to integrity issues that included the lack of proof from NYSC and differences in age statements.
“These were followed by 23 candidates who scored 75 percent or higher and entered the national merit list, while another 36 who scored between 70 and 74 percent made the general merit list. 82 candidates reached the minimum score of 65 percent.
“Four candidates who scored the minimum score of 65 percent were strictly considered to address fairness in the representation of the federal character,” he said.
However, he said that in the course of recruiting, NEITI also took into account the gender equity and diversity issues of the Nigerian state.
In a keynote address, Mr. Olusegun Adekunle, Chairman of NEITI NSWG, said that upon its inauguration in July 2021, he started a program for strengthening the secretariat and expanding the agency to other geopolitical areas.
He said this was because policy direction was required for the successful implementation of NEITI's five-year Strategic Plan (2022-2026) developed and approved to drive the workforce growth plan developed.
“The workforce plan specifically identified the urgency for NEITI to inject young graduates with the workforce and creative skills needed to help drive the recently developed five-year strategic and growth plan.
“The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has set new standards for reform and NEITI, as a member of the Presidential Steering Committee on PIA implementation, has an obligation to respond appropriately with adequate manpower and resources,” explained.
He said the process that produced this class of 2022 had been rigorous, based on merit, and in compliance with all procedures set forth by the Federal Government.
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Source Credit: NAN
The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has called for the participation of Nigerian women throughout the value chain of exploration, production, crude oil refining and extraction of mineral deposits.
NEITI urged the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) to lead this conversation as professionals and provide the necessary guidance and expertise in this area.
Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive Secretary of NEITI, made the call on Saturday in Abuja at the 5th Annual Nkechi Isigwe Conference (NIAL), hosted, labeled "Diversity and Inclusion in the Nigerian Extractive Industry: The Perspective of a entrepreneur".
Orji, in a keynote address, said the Federal Government had identified seven strategic minerals and designated them as a priority for promotion and investment.
According to him, the strategic minerals found throughout the country are barite, gold, bitumen, iron, lead/zinc, coal and limestone.
“NEITI stands ready to offer any support to help our women realize their full potential in the sector,” she said.
He stressed the need to maximize gender inclusion and equity in the governance of extractive industries and broaden the participation and inclusion of women in the management of the sector.
She said NEITI's goal remained to work with the association to remove structural barriers that prevent women, girls and other vulnerable groups from participating in sustainable natural resource management and other potential gendered impacts of extractive activities.
“The global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), implemented by NEITI, is founded on the philosophy that regular disclosures of information and data in the extractive sector will promote public debate, encourage civic action and accountability. accounts.
She urged the association to take a serious interest in the NEITI reports and use the contents to demand not only accountability, but greater participation of women in the sector.
“NEITI, in accordance with the EITI mandate on gender reporting, is conducting a series of studies on the gender impact of extractive activities.
“One of these studies will soon be presented to the public. It focuses on the impact of mining on our communities through the prism of inclusion and gender impact.
“Our goal is to address the huge gap in the gender imbalance in employment, investment and decision-making in extractive sector organizations through empirical evidence based on data and constructive engagements,” he said.
Dr Elizabeth Eterigho, President of APWEN, said the NIAL conference series could be termed as a conference series on capacity development, in particular entrepreneurship.
Eterigho described the honoree, Nkechi Isigwe, as one of the founding members of the association, who answered the clarion call in establishing the association in 1982.
She said that in view of the United Nations (UN) Women's Empowerment Initiative, the 2022 Nkechi Isigwe annual conference was established to empower women, precisely widows.
“For the inaugural edition of the empowerment program, three widows from Umuahia in Abia State residing in Abuja will be beneficiaries of the scheme.
"We believe that this initiative will particularly improve or increase the efforts of widows in training their children in schools, thus leaving a better life," he said.
In support of this initiative, he called on all well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organizations who appreciate the empowerment of women, particularly widows, to support this initiative.
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Source Credit: NAN
The United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria has underscored the need for the promotion of human rights in order to advance the UN guiding principles on fundamental freedom.
UN Global Compact Network Nigeria is a business-led sustainability initiative of the United Nations Global Compact that was inaugurated in Nigeria in 2007 during the Nigerian Economic Summit.
Naomi Nwokolo, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Nigeria, gave the advice in her welcome address at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Business and Human Right Roundtable (NBHR22), on Wednesday.
The roundtable themed: “The implementation of the national action plan for business and human rights in Nigeria” was organised by Global Compact Network Nigeria in collaboration with Global Rights, both NGOs, from Oct. 26 to 27, 2022.
Nwokolo, also Chair of the African Regional Network Council, said, “It is critical that steps must be taken to foster constructive relationships with local, national, and international institutions, to advance human rights.
“At the national level, sharing of expertise, methodologies.
and best practices are very beneficial.
“Let us move more quickly to implement types of institutions and laws that support individuals in asserting their rights.
“We must approach human rights promotion as a component of a global initiative to advance the UN Guiding Principles, referred to as ‘internationally recogniSed human rights’.
“This includes those guaranteed by the International Bill of Human Rights.
“These stands for rights are outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
”
She explained such rights to mean that businesses should ensure freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining as well as the abolition of all forms of forced or compulsory labour.
Identifying the abolition of child labour, abolition of employment and occupation discrimination as some of the issues, Nwokolo said that businesses often violated human rights when they failed to accord them such enough consideration.
She further said that the UN Nations Global Compact had launched its Business and Human Rights Accelerator, a six-month learning programme to equip companies with the requisite knowledge and promote human rights.
“With such extensive corporate human rights due diligence procedure, businesses can move away from a risks-to-business approach and toward a risks-to-people approach.
“On SDG Goal 5, it is worth noting that gender equality is a basic human right; Gender equality is critical to all aspects of a healthy society, from poverty reduction to promoting men’s and women’s health, education, protection and well-being.
“Nigeria must achieve sustainable development goals to ensure women’s full and effective participation in political, economic and public life and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making.
“Although government policies can help close persistent gender gaps in economic participation and pay, the private sector can help close structural inequalities.
“At this juncture, I call on companies to sign up for the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a primary vehicle for corporate delivery of gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the UN SDGs,” she added.
In a remark, Cynthia Muffuh, Head of Human Rights and Gender, United Nations Global Compact, underscored the need for collaborative efforts by both public and private sectors to achieve targets.
According to Muffuh, it is apt that the UN and the private sector are working closely with many stakeholders towards achieving common goals on human rights, peace, security, and sustainable development.
She said, “This will not be possible, if it were not for us at Global Compact, in terms of its principles and the UN guiding principles on human rights, which is why we are here.
“Companies that join the UN Global Rights join the principles in the area of human rights, labour and in environment and anti-corruption, which are rights championed by the Global Compact.
“However, there is a gap between business aspirations and business action on human rights, therefore, an urgent need for governments to drive action on human rights.
“The great way to achieve this is to develop a national action plan for human rights; this will give governments an opportunity to review plans on human rights, identify gaps and increase measures to effectively achieve targets.
”
The highpoint of the event was an overview of NBH2R, reflections, comments, question and answer session, and discussion centred on human rights, labour, environment, anti-corruption and understanding the National Action Plan.
The event was attended by stakeholders from Global Rights, National Human Rights Commission, Spaces for Change, CSR-in-Action, as well as the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
The UN-Global Compact inaugurated its two-year UN programme to promote United Nations Global Compact’s Ten Principles and SDGs in Nigeria and contribute to the implementation of the United Nations’ broader development goals.
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NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) said Nigeria’s energy transition journey must be driven and guided by credible information and data on the country’s energy security.
NEITI said Nigeria must not be allowed to be rushed into hasty energy transition without a thorough analysis of its comparative advantage and implications, resources, economy and livelihoods of citizens.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, said this at its National Stakeholders Dialogue on Energy Transition on Thursday in Abuja.
Orji said NEITI had commenced work along with other partners to make Nigerians and stakeholders gain insight into the risks and opportunities associated with energy transition.
He said NEITI, working with international Secretariat of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), had commissioned a study to examine actual implications and impacts of energy transition on the Nigeria’s oil and gas sector of the economy.
According to him, the report of this study will soon be published and will be widely disseminated to all the stakeholders present at the dialogue.
“As the world transits from the use of fossil fuel to cleaner and sustainable energy, transparency and accountability is critical to the process, including the reporting of emissions, disclosure of climate risks and overall governance of the energy industry.
“Nigeria must prepare to mainstream transparency and accountability mechanism into her energy transition agenda to avoid the pitfalls of her past and present energy sector,” he said.
Ogbonnaya said Nigeria, being an oil and gas dependent country, was vulnerable to the risks and challenges of energy transition, adding that, the global energy transition agenda was already reshaping the oil and gas landscape.
He said the outcome of the dialogue was expected to feed into the country’s transition plan and its implementation.
Ms Nafi Chinery, West African Regional Manager, Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI) Anglophone, appreciated Nigeria’s desire for energy transition.
According to Chinery, African continent’s average per capital electricity consumption sits at about 600 kilowatt hours per year, compared with the world average of about 3.200 kilowatt hours.
She said when compared the consumption with the European Union, U.
S and China, it threw up much stark variations.
“The current global discussions around energy transition places a responsibility on Africa to develop robust plans that will aid the transition towards Net-Zero emissions.
“This will mitigate future impacts of climate change on the continent and reduce the costs of adaptation.
“Nigeria’s emphasis on gas as a transition fuel aligns with the thinking of most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and the African Union Commission in the run up to COP27,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Gabriel Okeowo, Country Director, Budgit Foundation, an NGO, said transition to renewable energy would be a great potential for Nigeria and the continent at large.
He said the private sector would continue to support the Nigerian government to achieved its aims.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Bank of Industry (BOI) and National Pension Commission (PENCOM) have emerged as the top three organisations in the 2022 Transparency and Integrity Index ranking for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the DBN came top of the ranking with 58.74 points, while BOI and PENCOM scored 48.33 each, to finish second and third respectively.
The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Bureau of Public Procurement, Debt Management Office, ICPC and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority were among the top 10.
The ranking was carried out by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW), supported by MacArthur Foundation.
The Executive Director of CeFTIW, Mr Umar Yakubu said at the 511 MDAs were assessed, across six broad variables.
Yakubu said the ranking was aimed at preventing corruption in public office as it centred on procurement, budget, human resources, inclusion and website integrity.
“We used this to check the level of transparency with regards to public finances especially in procurement, how the MDAs spend their money, generate taxes, recruit people; it also assesses them generally on efficiency.
“It is on this assessment that we brought out the ranking of 511 institutions which you saw where some did well and some did not do well.
“We want MDAs to do well.
We hope they will engage Nigerians more on their websites, and it is a way of preventing corruption,” he said.
Yakubu regretted that most MDAs chose to present information on their citizen- engagement but decline information on procurement which turned out to be where the corruption centered more.
He also frowned at the non availability of information on federal character from the MDAs to enable Nigerians know states representation in the various public offices.
“Those are the things missing, but citizens engagement, social media relationship are very active but our aim is for the MDAs to give information on procurement and publish their audited report.
“Highest score last year was 31 per cent, while this year is over 50 per cent, so it is a sign that things will get better.
”
He said that the centre had already involved the EFCC, ICPC and Code of Conduct Bureau to compel defaulting MDAs to give information on procurement and things concerning their finances.
The Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha said the federal government had stepped-up measures to strengthen external audit scrutiny in the management of public funds.
Mustapha, represented by Mr Nnamdi Mbaeri, Permanent Secretary, General Services, office of the SGF, said the measures would be achieved through the introduction of the Open Treasury Portal, for full disclosure of payments.
Mr Dasuki Arabia, Director General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms said transparency and accountability were critical in ensuring that resource were properly managed for the benefit of all.
Arabia said the need for prudence and transparency in government were informed by the economic vulnerability caused by the dip in oil prices across the world, and the wide perception of Nigeria been regarded as a nation bedeviled with high rate of corruption.
“Prudent public finance management have become imperative as government continues to face significant fiscal constraints, with expenditures rising much faster than revenues, resulting in rising budget deficits and borrowings.
“Accordingly, the unveiling of the Probe Monitor Portal and the Public Service Diary Application is a laudable step towards creating reservoir of knowledge for judicial processes.
“It will also strengthen track records of Public Servants towards mentorship and promoting core ethical values within Public Institutions,” Arabia said.
He noted that wake of the Post-COVID and its attendant consequences as well as global trend of economic recession had made it imperative for nations to review their economic policies.
Arabia also noted that nations were now fashioning out new Public Financial Management models towards economic growth and development.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) came tops in the latest Freedom of Information (FOI) transparency ranking.
The transparency agency was adjudged second best among 250 other agencies of government who were ranked within the year, according to a statement on Sunday by Obiageli Onuorah, Head, Communications and Advocacy, NEITI.
Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, the Executive Secretary, NEITI, who welcomed the news with optimism said the ranking was a testimony of NEITI’s commitment to transparency and accountability not just in the extractive sector but also in its internal processes.
“I confirm with delight that our Agency, NEITI came second, behind only the Bureau of Public Service.
“On behalf of the NSWG, Management and Staff, I have accepted the result with high expectations that we work harder to be second to none in future ranking,” Orji added.
He said the independent ranking was in recognition of NEITI’s efforts in the last one year to strengthen our processes, invest more, not only on competency and skills development but also on ethical compliance, value re-orientation and training programme.
Orji, however, said that the achievement was not by NEITI alone, rather a collaboration of the stakeholders engaging in the NEITI process.
“Let us all continue to push the boundaries of transparency and accountability for greater achievement in the governance of Nigeria’s extractive sector.
“I dedicate the honour to our multi-stakeholders represented by our board, the founders of NEITI who laid the solid foundation for our agency to remain an island of excellence, competence and integrity.
“All I have done as the Executive Secretary in managing the secretariat in the last year with their support was to identify potential gaps for possible relapse in our core values and fix them.
“Further strengthening our processes to resist the challenges of today and consolidate on what already exists,” he added.
The ranking was verified by the coalition of civil society organisations comprising the Public Private Partnership Development Centre, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Budgit, Basic Rights Watch, Media Rights Agenda, and the Rights to Know (R2K) among others.
Some of the criteria for the 2022 FOI ranking are access to procurement-related information from public institutions, proactive disclosures and response to requests.
Public institutions were ranked based on benchmarks for disclosure within the framework of
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has expressed optimism that Nigeria will achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 with sustained political will.
SDG 16 is about peace, justice and strong institutions.
Rafsanjani told the News Agency of Nigeria in New York after SDG 16 Nigeria Shadow Report, 2022, was launched, that Nigeria was already making some progress to achieve the goal.
The UN correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria reports that the SDG 16 Shadow Report was launched on the sidelines of 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The Report seeks to measure Nigeria’s progress on SDG 16, specifically targets 16.4 which deals with anti-money laundering, 16.5 which looks at beneficial ownership and 16.10 which looks at access to information.
According to him, if there is political will, issues of corruption, justice, human rights, freedom of expression or freedom of press are very possible that Nigeria could achieve those targets.
Rafsanjani said that civil society was determined to support government to achieve that goal.
” That is why we are coming up with the Shadow report to remind government where we are and to remind government its own commitment.
“Nigeria already is a member of Open Government Partnership and Nigeria is a member of Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI).
So, these are global initiatives that are supposed to help bring the state actors or non-state actors together to support of the efforts of government, and Nigeria is a signatory to the EITI.
“As a matter of fact, we are one of the first countries that legislated law on EITI, which is called NEITI – Nigerian Extractive Transparency Initiatives,’’ he said.
The official said Nigeria had also, during the London summit of anti-corruption, hosted and organised by British Government, made commitments to so many things that will help strengthen more transparency and accountability.
He said one of the major things that Nigerian government had to show more commitment and seriousness was, of course, in strengthening anti- corruption.
“The country needs to strengthen anti-corruption to work by ensuring that policy and framework are implemented, and that political corruption are dealt with squarely.
“If we are able to do this and carry out reform in the judicial sector, we’ll be able to begin to smile and see the possibility of achieving the SDG 16.
“Nigeria has signified entrance to ensure that access recovery are done in a manner that will have to enhance more transparency.
“Nigerian government is determined to ensure that the SDG 16 is achievable because civil society already is committed and is willing to work with the government to support government to achieve that.
’’
According to him, Nigeria has made progress in some few areas and therefore, we need to continue to encourage government and the area of the prohibition of the anti- money laundering, in the area of legislation on proceeds of crime.
Speaking at the launch of the Report, Mathew Jenkins, Research Manager, said that CISLAC was a powerful advocate for meaningful reforms to tackle the devastating impact of corruption across the entire 2030 agenda.
“Today’s launch is also a testimony to the value of longitudinal research, tracking changes both positive and negative over time from an initial baseline.
“This benchmark allows anti-corruption practitioners to understand what has worked and where obstacles remain to achieving the 2030 targets.
In addition, Jenkins said CISLAC worked under the SANCTUS project, which focused on the core problem of dirty money in Nigerian politics.
This can make a powerful contribution to that goal, especially in light of the upcoming general elections.
“Dirty Money in politics invariably shifts politicians’ preferences towards the concerns of the rich and powerful to the detriment of poor and marginalised groups.
It’s an anathema to the international pledge as part of the SDG agenda to leave no one behind.
”
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) and Nigeria Extractive Transparency Initiative (NEITI) have emerged as the most compliant agencies in terms of Freedom of Information (FoI) and transparency ranking.
The organisations were announced winners by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), during the launch of the 2022 FoI Compliance Ranking on Wednesday, in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Debt Management Office (DMO), came third on the ranking.
The Chief Executive Officer of PPDC, Mr Jubril Shittu, disclosed that the BPSR and NEITI came tops because they proactively disclosed requested information on their portals.
Shittu said the PPDC had been consistently advocating the disclosure of public finance expenditure information.
This, he said, was to promote a more transparent and accountable government, as well as increase citizens’ participation, thereby leading to improved public service delivery.
Shittu said the rankings were to commemorate the International Right to Know Day and to ascertain the compliance of public institutions to the FoI Act (2011) based on the disclosure of public finance expenditure information.
“Today is globally known as the access to information day all over the world.
The various people that are celebrating access to information.
“So what we are doing here today, along with our cohort partners is to look at what the Nigerian experience is and we have been doing this for the past 10 years.
“You know, since the passage of the FoI Act in 2011, which opened up the space for the public to ask for information from the ministries, departments and agencies.
“This ranking exercise looks at the level of responsiveness of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),” Shittu said.
He also said that the ranking looked at the proactiveness of the disclosures on information from these MDAs, as well as being biased in terms of the disclosure whether disclosed in full or in pertial terms.
“This year, we ranked 250 institutions and as you are aware, there are 700 MDAs in government.
This just shows that we have quite a lot to catch up on.
“We should also be recognised in terms of the efforts for various ministries, MDAs, we’ve reached a level of increase from the previous years,” he said.
In his keynote address, the Minister for State, Budget and National Planning, Mr Clem Agba, said the Federal Government was making necessary efforts to ensure the data of Nigerians were protected.
Agba, represented by the Deputy Director, Agric and Rural Development,Mrs Oluyide Adesola, said the Federal Government had taken cognisance of emerging data protection laws and regulations.
He said, “this was geared towards protecting privacy, identity, lives and property, as well as fostering the integrity of commerce and industry in the data and digital economy.
“As well as fostering the integrity of commerce and industry in the data and digital economy.
“We have realised the importance of developing data protection rules and regulations to protect the personal data of citizens.
“It is in view of this that the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 was passed and it is the pioneer, comprehensive Regulation on data protection in Nigeria,” Agba said.
NAN also reports that others in the ranking were the National Orientation Agency (NOA), which came fourth, while the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), came fifth.
Others were Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (CRC), that came sixth, as well as National Commission For Colleges Of Education (NCCE), that clinched the seventh position.
In the same vein, the Bureau Of Public Enterprise (BPE), came eighth, while Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), came 10th.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
NAN) The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) says it is verifying and reconciling revenue collections in the Solid Minerals Sector of the economy.
The Federal Commissioner, RMAFC, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, stated this at a strategic meeting on the commission’s 2022 nationwide monitoring of revenue collections of the Nigerian mining sector in Akure on Monday at the state Ministry of Finance Conference Hall.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Banjo Egunjobi, the Head of Media Unit of the ministry.
Ajasin said 25 enterprises exported minerals in 2019 with no record of royalty payment, while about N2.76 billion outstanding liabilities had been established against 2,119 mining companies nationwide.
He said that this arose from failure to pay the Annual Service Fees for their company titles.
According to the Federal Commissioner, the Commission is empowered to monitor all revenue accruals from the extractive industries to ensure prompt and accurate remittances to the Federation Accounts.
He added that the monitoring was a follow-up on the 2016 exercise to assess the challenges hindering optimum revenue collection from the sector.
Ajasin said the monitoring comprised revenue collections and the activities of miners in the state.
According to him, the major issues of concern to the Commission is the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparent Initiative NEITI 2020 report.
He added that the number of defaulting companies would be determined after engagements.
“There is also the issue of underpayment of royalty by 25 enterprises that exported minerals in 2019 with no record of royalty payments.
“These companies owe the government about N482 million in overdue royalty.
He said the 2,119 mining companies’ default nationwide arose from the failure to pay the annual service fees for their respective mineral titles.
Ajasin also said the Commission’s mandate in the extractive sector was to recover the established liabilities owed to the Federation Account.
He, therefore, urged participants to explore the opportunities in the state to harness the revenue potential in the Solid Minerals sector to boost Internally Generated Revenue.
The State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, stated that the process of allocating the 13 per cent derivation on crude oil paid to the states across the federation depended on the effective monitoring of revenue and the collection of established liabilities from mineral resources.
Akinterinwa noted that the cooperation given by the state Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Mineral Resources and others to enforce payment of the reported liabilities would assist in fulfilling the objectives of the exercise and a means of engaging some Strategic Revenue Drive for the state.
The commissioner said the present administration of Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu would do everything at its disposal to facilitate the collection of revenue as listed in the NEITI Audit Report 2022.
He, therefore, urged stakeholders to accord full cooperation to the RMAFC team and be committed to achieving the desired goal.
Also the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Rev. Jide Ekpobomini, said sourcing for a quick alternative to all income was necessary and could not be overemphasised.
He said government revenue inflows would surely be boosted if the sector was vigorously harnessed.
Also his counterpart from Ministry of Energy, Mines and Mineral Resources, Mr Wemimo Ogunsanmi, said the state government had initiated a strategic mineral development plan to exploit the solid minerals sector, hence the establishment of the ministry.
( NAN)
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), says its report can incentivise revenue generation for the Federal Government.
Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, the Executive Secretary of NEITI said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.
According to him, the Federal Government has recovered a total of three billion dollars revenue from oil companies and government agencies following NEITI and National Assembly intervention.
“I realised that NEITI reports should be channeled toward whatever is the priority goal of government at this specific time.
And the priority goal of government at this moment is revenue.
“How do you get money to fund projects and then my challenge was how do we use NEITI’s reports to generate revenue for government.
“I knew that information and data can be translated into revenue generation, so the first thing we did was to look at government agencies and companies that owed government and nobody was talking about that.
“About 77 of these companies were rejecting NEITI’s report and people in the past had no courage to release their names to the public.
“I released their names and I published them because the amount they owed us was up to the excess of 6.8 billion dollars and here Nigeria is borrowing money to fund the budget.
“I said this cannot continue and by the time we released that report and threatened to name the companies, they know the implications to their reputation in international oil market so many of them rushed to pay,’’ Orji said.
“All the taxes have to go to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and all the royalties concessions have to go to the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Commission.
“NEITI does not collect or keep any money and we do not release money or generate revenue but our report can incentivise revenue generation,’’ Orji said.
He said that the number of companies owing reduced from 77 in 2019 to 51 in 2022.
“This means they have been paying and we are using the opportunity we have to warn that 2021 reports will be released by December.
“Any company that has not paid we will drive them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“We do not want to get to that level because we need the companies to do business in Nigeria.
The companies are very critical in our sector and without the companies that do business in oil and gas, taxes will not be paid and revenue will not be generated.
“But we are saying that the countries where most of the companies come from they don’t owe taxes, they don’t owe royalties.
“In future, I will be thinking of calculating the interest, that is to the extent that NEITI report has continue to help generate revenue,’’ Orji said.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
