The House of Representatives says it will prioritise the amendment of the act establishing the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) to make the Agency function optimally and give it powers to prosecute offenders in the petroleum industry.
Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikeangwuonu Ugochinyere who stated this during a working visit to the NEITI headquarters in Abujasaid the committee would also ensure that NEITI receivessufficient funding to enable it to perform its entire duties without hindrance in line with the vision and transparency posture of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The chairman assured NEITI that the committee would workwith information and data released by it to reposition the Petroleum industry and give the audit reports the required legislative backing.
He also pointed out that the House of Representatives would recommend privatization of the Nation’s refineries.
”We assure you of our readiness to propose a legislation that gives NEITI stronger powers to discharge its responsibilities, that is in the form of amendment to NEITI act to give it disciplinary action against offenders, also empowering NEITI to investigate offences and recommend the prosecution of offenders by relevant investigative agencies of the government,” he added
Dr Orji Ogbonaya Orji, Executive Secretary of NEITI who played host to the lawmakers expressed gratitude for their commitment toensuring transparency and accountability in the oil and gas as well and solid minerals sectors.
Orji prayed the committee assist NEITI get its Board on stream as soon as possible in line with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s (EITI) standard for revalidation.
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