NEITI, Auditor General Seek Stronger Sectoral Linkage On Data Sharing
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has expressed concerns over poor sectoral linkages in data generation, collation, management and dissemination on revenues generated or expended from oil, gas and mining sector.
To this end, the agency has pledged to work closely with the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation to promote integrity in data collation, validation and management on revenues from extractive industries.
The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio, while receiving the Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Anthony Ayine, on a courtesy visit, identified poor linkages among relevant agencies as major constraints in national planning, natural resource governance and public finance management.
Mr Adio said NEITI’s doors are open to work with sister agencies on information and data sharing, capacity and manpower development for the purpose of forging better synergy.
“We are ready to collaborate and partner with the Office of the Auditor General in particular and other similar agencies in general to promote data integrity, openness, standards and uniformity in data collation, validation management and utilization,” Adio said, while reminding the Office of the Auditor General of their statutory responsibilities in the NEITI process.
Mr Ayine in his response, called for closer cooperation in data management and knowledge sharing towards efficient implementation of a World Bank funded programme on fiscal governance.
He outlined the importance of the donor funded project to building the capacity of selected pilot key government institutions on extractive revenue management, explaining that the programme is to address fiscal management issues which will help to strengthen accountability process of the nation’s economy.
According to Mr Ayine, the MDAs participating in the programme include Auditor General’s Office, Ministry of Budget and Planning, National Bureau of Statistics, Bureau of Public Procurement amongst others.
- He further pledged to ensure that the Office of the Auditor General takes up its assigned statutory responsibilities in the NEITI–EITI process as provided by the law.