Mohammed Shosanya
Civil Society Organisations committed to transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining sectors have resolved to close ranks, forge common front to advance good governance of the extractive sector in Nigeria.
Rising from an enlarged all inclusive consultative forum convened by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative NEITI, the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) underlined the need for unity, commitment to reconciliation to ensure effective discharge of their roles as an important stakeholder in the NEITI/EITI process.
They further resolved to commence healing and reconciliation process to build stronger partnership in using NEITI reports to push for reforms under the NEITI/EITI principles of transparency and accountability.
A committee to harmonize existing frameworks & platforms of engagements into a comprehensive NEITI-CSO Constituency Guideline for the sector was set up at the meeting,a statement by Obiageli Onuorah, Deputy Director/Head Communications & Stakeholders Management,said.
The new guideline to be developed is to be modeled after EITI Constituency guideline released at the Dakar Global Conference in June this year. The Seven Man Committee is Chaired by Tijah Bolton, Executive Director, Policy Alert and Mrs Juliet UkanNwosu, Executive Director, Extractive 360 as Secretary of the Committee.
Other members of the Committee include Mr. Taiwo Otitolaye: Co-ordinator, Publish What You Pay Nigeria (PWYP), Mrs Faith Nwadishi: Executive Director, Centre for Transparency and Accountability (CTA), Dr Mina Ogbanga: Executive Director, Centre for Development Support Initiatives (CEDSI) and Mr. Bassey Udo, Chairman, Media Initiative for Transparency in Extractive Industries (MITEI).
They commended NEITI Secretariat for initiating and facilitating the meeting and called for sustained regular engagements.CSO welcomed the Federal Government special support to NEITI Secretariat to secure a befitting permanent Office Accommodation and commended NEITI’s prompt utilisation of the opportunity.
They implored the EITI globally to acknowledge the permanent office accomplishment by Nigeria for NEITI as an rare innovation worthy of emulation by other EITI implementing countries.