By Gift Eguavoen
Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Nigeria, the Nigerian chapter of the global PWYP coalition, has emerged from its 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) with a new leadership to steer the affairs of the campaign for the next three years.
The coalition during the AGM, held in Lagos from 3rd to 4th October, 2024, also re-commitment to drive robust engagement on the governance of the country’s extractive sector.
The newly elected leadership are; Dr. Erisa Danladi, National Coordinator. Danladi, who also sits on the National Stakeholder Working Group (NSWG) of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), is the Executive Director of Motherhen Development Foundation.
Also elected Deputy National Coordinator is Mr. Tijah Bolton-Akpan, Executive Director of Policy Alert and National Steering Committee member of Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership (OGP), while Prof. Helen Bodunde, a Professor of Communication and English Language at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), was elected General Secretary.
Similarly, a new Board of Trustees was elected at the AGM, comprising Dr. Kelechi Okezie, Dr. Temitope Olaifa, Ms. Faith Nwadishi, and Dr. Mohammed Mustapha. Other members of the new Board are Mr. Godson Jim-Dorgu, Prof. Godwin Onu, and Mr. Mohammed Wuyo.
A Communique issued at the end of the AGM informed that the event provided an opportunity for restructuring and repositioning Publish What You Pay Nigeria to play a leading role in influencing natural resource governance and ancillary policy issues affecting the sector, such as anti-corruption, energy transition and climate justice.
The Communique further noted that although PWYP Nigeria had over the years faced several institutional and structural challenges, the coalition had bounced back stronger with “the potential and capacity to leverage its international profile and image to play a leading demand-side role, not only in Nigeria but also across Africa.”
Dr Erisa Danladi Sarki, Representative of Civil Society on the NEITI Board and newly elected PWYP Nigeria Coordinator
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Danladi expressed appreciation for the pioneering roles of PWYP Nigeria founders and previous National Coordinators.
“I am confident that together we can amplify our voices and drive impactful change. The values that PWYP represents – transparency, accountability, and community empowerment – are vital for fostering a fairer and more equitable Nigeria. I am committed to upholding these principles as we work together to ensure that revenues from our natural resources benefits all citizens,” she said.
Meanwhile, NEITI has congratulated PWYP Nigeria on the successful electoral process that led to the election of a member of its Board, Dr. Erisa Danladi, as the new National Coordinator of PWYP Nigeria.
In a statement by Chris Ochonu, Assistant Director, Communications & Stakeholders’ Mgt, NEITI said it received the news of Dr. Danladi’s election with excitement and enthusiasm, adding that her election reaffirms PWYP’s confidence in her competence and leadership abilities, following her recent selection by the Civil Society Constituency to represent civil society on the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI.
Reacting to this development, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, congratulated the new leadership remarking that, “The task before the new National Coordinator, Dr. Erisa, is to begin the process of reconciliation, repairing, rebuilding, and repositioning PWYP Nigeria to regain its lost allies, friends, and partners.”
Dr. Orji advised that through constructive, issue-based engagement, PWYP can easily restore the vision of its founding fathers and reclaim its rightful position as a leading civil society organization (CSO) in the EITI process globally.
He reaffirmed the Board and Secretariat’s commitment to working closely with Dr. Danladi and the new leadership of PWYP in furthering shared goals of promoting transparency, accountability, and sustainable development in Nigeria’s extractive industries.