The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura has said that the intervention of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) in the management of Nigeria’s extractive sector has saved the sector from imminent collapse. He stated this in Abuja when NEITI appeared before the committee to defend its 2018 budget proposal.

Kaura explained that the monumental corruption that characterised the oil and gas industry since inception had resulted in a situation where the natural resources became a curse rather than a blessing to the citizens.

"We are aware of the courageous work that NEITI has done and the sanity that its intervention has brought to the sector in spite of mounting challenges. NEITI’s bold and courageous disclosures have drawn attention and beamed the torch light on the sector that is the lifeline of the nation,” Kaura stated.

He expressed his committee’s delight and satisfaction over the excellent work done so far by NEITI especially in the last two years and promised to support the agency in ensuring that it gets the required resources to enable it fulfill its mandate.

“We have very high regards for you and your agency because we know you are transparent,” Kaura added. “I personally commend the Executive Secretary and his able team in NEITI for walking the talk.”

He called on other agencies of government to emulate the competence, professionalism and integrity exhibited by NEITI in the discharge of its duties.

Presenting the budget, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio appealed to the committee for support in ensuring adequate appropriation so that the agency will continue to deliver in its mandate.

He told the committee that the driving philosophy of NEITI remains the promotion of a culture of learning and achieving much with less and commended the government for supporting the operations of NEITI even when the pronouncements of the agency appear to challenge the status quo.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the NEITI to remain professional, bold and courageous in confronting institutional, governance and man-made obstacles that frustrate transparency and accountability in the extractive sector especially the oil and gas industry.

Adio identified the “automation of NEITI audit process, timely and regular reporting, and multi-stakeholders’ mobilisation towards using the EITI framework for reforms” as key priorities of the agency.

He used the forum to renew his appeal to the National Assembly to see its relationship with NEITI as that of critical partners in the monitoring and oversight functions. One way to achieving this, he added, is for the National Assembly to “Ensure that NEITI reports are publicly debated at plenary sessions of the Senate and House of Representatives, pay attention to the recommendations contained in the report and ensure that remediation occurs. This will guarantee that the on-going reforms in the sector championed by NEITI’s advocacy impact the citizenry. This is not what we can do all alone by ourselves. We need you and others to play their parts,” Adio further said.

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