The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has disclosed that 28 out of the 36 States of the federation are sourcing 84% of their revenue from allocation from the federation accounts.
Executive Secretary of the NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, disclosed this on Friday when he led his team on a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, at the corporate headquarters of the Commission in Jabi, Abuja.
Orji, who explained that the mission of NEITI was to make the extractive industry open and accountable, solicited the support of the anti-graft agency to enforce compliance of industries falling short of its standards on disclosure of information and data.
In his presentation to the management staff of the Commission, Orji explained that “NEITI findings and recommendations are leading reforms in the oil, gas, and mining industries”, and added that, for the Initiative to deliver more optimal results to the nation, stronger collaboration and synergy with the EFCC is essential.
“Our allies in this industry are few but with an ally like the EFCC, we feel strong and confident”, he said, while also calling for joint training, capacity building, and manpower development for staff of the EFCC and NEITI.
Responding, the EFCC’s boss noted that every anti-corruption effort should always stand on the pillar of transparency, and particularly stressed that lessons learnt as a result of fraud investigation should be a guiding principle for individuals, organizations, and nations. “Corruption investigation is not just for investigation’s sake. Lessons learnt should always be applied”, he said.
He assured NEITI of renewed and enhanced collaboration and mutual support, adding, ‘we will allow NEITI desks in our Zonal offices”.
