The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has lamented its treatment by the federal government, saying the government is, by its actions, crippling the agency’s activities.

The agency, which has won local and international commendations for its audit of the oil and gas industry, as well as other industries in the extractive sector, said that between 2011 and 2013, the federal government slashed its budget by 50 per cent.

This was disclosed by the chairman of the NEITI governing board, Ledum Mitee, while speaking to journalists after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential Villa.

Read details here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/138367-jonathans-administration-is-crippling-our-activities-neiti-laments.html

Purely to curtail its efficiency as auditors of those sectors and thereby enabling the continued looting of national treasury by corrupt leaders.

Jonathan exposed as "more of the same"? Surprise, surprise. As if this was not entirely predictable considering that this man was backed into Aso rock by the most corrupt Nigerians alive.

Gbawe: Jonathan exposed as "more of the same"? Surprise, surprise. As if this was not entirely predictable considering that this man was backed into Aso rock by the most corrupt Nigerians alive.

Did you even bother to read through or did the SENSATIONAL headline suit your inclinations and u rushed into condemning Jonathan as usual...

What NEITI complained about is purely about the issues of budgetary provison and they are not the 1st government institution to compalin about slash in budgetary allocation...see here...

“What we have tried to identify is that between 2011 and
2013, there has been some 50 per cent reduction in our
budgetary allocation which we thought was threatening
the smooth operation of our work.

Why premium times decided to sensationalize this report is what I don't understand and interestingly they ignored this part of the report...

“Out of the 39 countries that are implementing EITI,
Nigeria’s mode of implementation has been rated the
best,” he added.

And I ask if their operations is been frustrated by GEJ as alleged by premium times then how is the above possible...

awodman:
Did you even bother to read through or did the SENSATIONAL headline suit your inclinations and u rushed into condemning Jonathan as usual...

What NEITI complained about is purely about the issues of budgetary provison and they are not the 1st government institution to compalin about slash in budgetary allocation...see here...

“What we have tried to identify is that between 2011 and
2013, there has been some 50 per cent reduction in our
budgetary allocation which we thought was threatening
the smooth operation of our work.

Why premium times decided to sensationalize this report is what I don't understand and interestingly they ignored this part of the report...

“Out of the 39 countries that are implementing EITI,
Nigeria’s mode of implementation has been rated the
best,” he added.

And I ask if their operations is been frustrated by GEJ as alleged by premium times then how is the above possible...

Look, you dishonest,clannish and over-emotional types are making this forum a real pain to use. Has NEITI not made it crystal clear it sees Jonathan as part of the rot? Please direct your frustration appropriately. Perhaps towards the crook you worship whose inaction and "more of the same" antics can only be interpreted in one manner alone as NEITI does below. When we discussed how GEJ was mentioned directly by NEITI as a problem of Nigeria, below, did you show face? Typical. Please spin what is writen below.


https://www.nairaland.com/1297431/jonathan-other-pdp-governments-encourage

Jonathan, other PDP governments encourage corruption in Nigeria’s oil industry- government report

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative says government hardly implements its recommendations on accountability in the extractive industry.

The deliberate inactions of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and those of other Peoples Democratic Party governments since 1999 have encouraged corruption and obfuscation in the Nigerian oil industry, an agency has stated.
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, on Monday, expressed frustration in its efforts to boost the level of transparency and accountability in the oil and gas industry.

The agency blamed the federal government for Nigeria’s recent poor ranking in the global Resource Governance Index, RGI, report of the Revenue Watch Institute, RWI.
RWI, in the report, which measured the quality of the extractive industries governance in 58 resource-rich countries across the world, ranked Nigeria 40th, with a score that showed the country’s extractive industries governance as ‘very weak’.

The assessment conducted on the quality of four key governance components, namely Institutional and Legal Setting; Reporting Practices; Safeguards and Quality Controls, and Enabling Environment, showed that Nigeria fared better in institutional and legal setting, as a result of the existence of several legislation on openness and transparency, including NEITI Act, 2007 and Freedom of Information Act, while being rated poorly on the enabling environment.

Failure since 1999
Frowning at the rating, NEITI said, as an agency set up with a mandate to enthrone transparency, accountability and good governance in the country’s extractive sector, it is concerned that its efforts are not yielding desired results as a result of “the slow pace of implementation of findings and recommendations contained in series of its audit reports since 1999.”

“Although an Inter-Ministerial Task Team was set up to address the findings and recommendations of NEITI audit reports under a remediation plan developed by the team, implementation by affected government agencies have recorded little progress,” the agency lamented in a statement by its Director of Communications, Ogbonnaya Orji.

“For instance, NEITI audit reports have consistently recommended inter-agency collaboration to recover an outstanding sum of $9.6 billion from companies (indicted in the audit reports, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, for refusing to pay to government various revenues). This fund was uncovered by NEITI as underpayment, under-assessment and variance in royalties, signature bonuses, levies and taxes owed to the Federation.”

According to Mr. Orji, NEITI audit reports also
highlighted the need for openness and competition in the conduct of bids round for allocation of oil blocks, review of existing contracts with companies, efficient and reliable metering regime for measurement of crude.
President Jonathan and the petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, have been accused in previous investigations by journalists including the now rested NEXT Newspapers of serial violations of Nigerian laws in the allocation of oil blocks and oil export licenses.

Other recommendations that NEITI has made but which have been ignored by the successive federal governments include automation of data gathering and records keeping process, and transparency and accountability in management of revenue flows from companies to the Federation account. Mr. Orji pointed out that Nigeria could have fared better if these identified remedial issues were promptly addressed by government.
FG must commence implementation
While welcoming global assessment like that of the RWI,
NEITI said it “strongly believes that for Nigeria to record significant improvement in such global ranking in future, there is need for prompt implementation of findings and recommendations contained in its audit reports.”

It reiterated the demand for swift passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, now before the National Assembly for approval, adding that when passed into law, the Bill would address substantial issues raised in its reports.

awodman:
Did you even bother to read through or did the SENSATIONAL headline suit your inclinations and u rushed into condemning Jonathan as usual...

What NEITI complained about is purely about the issues of budgetary provison and they are not the 1st government institution to compalin about slash in budgetary allocation...see here...

“What we have tried to identify is that between 2011 and
2013, there has been some 50 per cent reduction in our
budgetary allocation which we thought was threatening
the smooth operation of our work.

Why premium times decided to sensationalize this report is what I don't understand and interestingly they ignored this part of the report...

“Out of the 39 countries that are implementing EITI,
Nigeria’s mode of implementation has been rated the
best,” he added.

And I ask if their operations is been frustrated by GEJ as alleged by premium times then how is the above possible...

Gbawe is merely doing his job. However, the truth is that all govt ministries, departments and agencies are always complaining of paucity of funds. For instance, the ministry of Niger Delta says it requires about N1trillion to execute all its projects but what it has recieved in the last 3yrs is only about N200billion. The ministry of works says it requires about N500billion annually to meet its obligations of fixing all ongoing federal roads but what its gets is only about N120billion. This cuts across all the MDAs, including the EFCC.

Gbawe and his gang of propagandists and LIARS will sensationalise that of NEITI as part of their self imposed burden of pull-GEJ-down at all cost.

tis the season of seasoned propagandist..

Sincere 9gerian:
Gbawe is merely doing his job. However, the truth is that all govt ministries, departments and agencies are always complaining of paucity of funds. For instance, the ministry of Niger Delta says it requires about N1trillion to execute all its projects but what it has recieved in the last 3yrs is only about N200billion. The ministry of works says it requires about N500billion annually to meet its obligations of fixing all ongoing federal roads but what its gets is only about N120billion. This cuts across all the MDAs, including the EFCC.

Gbawe and his gang of propagandists and LIARS will sensationalise that of NEITI as part of their self imposed burden of pull-GEJ-down at all cost.

You are too shameless to be taken seriously. An absolute disgrace. NEITI has made it crystal-clear it regards GEJ Government as the same as others that bogged Nigerian down in non-tranpsarency and corruption. The sadness is that you guys just do not have the moral decency to know when to shut up.

Neiti is looking for trouble and soon their jet will be grounded for no reason.

blink182: Neiti is looking for trouble and soon their jet will be grounded for no reason.

I'm happy that Ledum Mitee is from the same region as Jonathan, otherwise those aborigines would have started hounding him by now, for daring to criticise "our son."

The story is not surprising considering the fact that Jonathan is a corruption champion and it would be a betrayal of purpose to fund & promote any agency that'll ensure transparency and deny his PDP boys of food.

skyfall: I'm happy that Ledum Mitee is from the same region as Jonathan, otherwise those aborigines would have started hounding him now.

The story is not surprising considering the fact that Jonathan is a corruption champion and it would be a betrayal of purpose to fund & promote any agency that'll ensure transparency and deny his PDP boys of food.

This is precisely the crux of the matter and the reason these PDP hacks stalk me up and down rather than take an honest look at themselves for backing the ultra-corrupt GEJ. I predicted before the 2011 elections, without equivocation or mincing of words, that the corruption we would see under GEJ would be monumental because the guy was endorsed and backed by all the biggest and most corrupt crooks and mercenaries who have bled Nigeria from one government to another.

Even Orubebe had been revealed, by wikileaks, to have stated that GEJ is part of the culture of corruption ruining the ND. Now that NEITI, in straightforward language, has made it clear some of us were correct and that GEJ is indeed ultra-corrupt and a defender of the status-quo some are having palpitations and yapping at their fellow forumer instead of retiring to a dark room to reflect on their horrid choice.

blink182: Neiti is looking for trouble and soon their jet will be grounded for no reason.

Ribadu is already facing his own Yawa, as we speak, for daring to voice an opinion against the woeful leadership of GEJ. Ledum Mitee, watch out. This vengeful government will come for you.