By Juliet Ukanwosu
President Bola Tinubu, on Monday approved the reconstitution of a 15-member National Stakeholders’ Working Group (NSWG) for Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
Recall that the last NEITI NSWG was dissolved in 2023 following the dissolution of all Federal Government Boards.
In re-constituting the NSWG also known as the NEITI Board, the President appointed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, as Chairman.
Other members include Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Zacch Adedeji Member, Government Representative; Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari Member, Representative of extractive companies (oil and gas) Mr. Oghenegwueke Ajafia Member, Oil Producers Trade Section, Lagos Chamber of Commerce (OPTS); President, Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Ayanleke, Member, Representative of extractive companies (mining); and Engr. (Mrs.) Nkechi Isigwe, Member, Representative of Women/ Geo-scientist, Extractive Industries Expert.
Others are President NUPENG, Comrade Willians Apkoreha, Member, Representative of industries union in oil and gas; Barr. Musa Abdullahi Lawan, Member, Representative of North –West Zone; Abubakar Mu’azu, Member, Representative of North – East Zone; Amb. Matthew Sunday Adoli, Member, Representative from North – Central Zone; Olasupo, Abdel-Jeleel Taiwo, Member, Representative of South –West; Chief Israel Ikechukwu Ikwuegbu, Member, Representative of South – East and Dr. Stephen Leo Akpan, Member, Representative of South – South zone.
Also appointed to the Board is the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, who will serve as Secretary to the NSWG.
Meanwhile, a representative of civil society on the board is yet to be announced by the government as the process of self-nominating a representative by the civil society constituency is still ongoing.
Extractive360 reports that the appointment of a Secretary to the Government of the Federation as Chairman of the NEITI NSWG represents the highest ranking officer to ever be appointed to the position since Nigeria began implementing the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) principles.
Commenting on the development, Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, who expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for reconstituting the Board, said, “We are particularly pleased that the president appointed a very high ranking officer to Chair the Board.
“The SGF, Sen. George Akume is the highest ranking officer to ever be appointed to Chair the NEITI NSWG. This is the first time an officer of such high ranking has been appointed to Chair the Board. This demonstrates governments commitment towards implementing the EITI principles in Nigeria,” Dr. Orji told Extractive360.
He added that the NEITI Secretariat was equally very pleased with the selection of other members of the Board, adding that the agency looks forward to working with them especially now that the EITI implementation covers broader areas.
According to a statement by Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information & Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the inauguration of the Board will be announced in due course.