By Dennis Mernyi
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji has said that Nigeria is not in any danger of validation by the international EITI.
Orji disclosed that the EITI is currently reviewing the validation process of Nigeria and modalities following divergent views by multi stakeholders involved in the process.
Speaking to newsmen in his office in Abuja recently, he said some process includes the civil societies, implementing countries and the investors.
“At various meetings held by the implementing countries in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire and recently Dakar, Senegal the implementing countries agreed to present before the EITI Board, that the validation process should be reformed to make it country specific, implementation friendly, progressive and promote country learning experiences and ownership.
‘The Civil Society, Investors and supporting countries equally have their separate views on how the validation process should be conducted in order to achieve the desired impact,’ he stated.
He further explained that the EITI has put in place a Committee that is examining these views and interests with a view to harmonizing them.
“We expect the EITI Board to come out with a clear position and modalities at its next meeting slated for Lima, Peru in February, 2016. So Nigeria is not in danger over EITI Validation.”
On the status of the NEITI Reports, he stated that the NEITI 2013 Audit Report on Oil and gas and Solid Minerals respectively are ready.
“The two Reports are presently awaiting the approval of the incoming National Stakeholders Working Group expected to be reconstituted soon, before they are formally released and published.
In response to the December 31, 2015 deadline given by the EITI for Nigeria to publish these reports, he said NEITI has filed a request for extension of reporting deadline; the request is receiving the needed attention by the global EITI.
On Solid minerals sector report is also ready, waiting on the board to commence procurement for the 2014 audit and will also soon commence activities.