NEITI, ICPC partner, to prosecute corruption cases in extractive industries
Oredola Adeola
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), have established a joint cooperation arrangement on anti-corruption issues in the extractive industries.
This synergy against corruption was confirmed in a statement released to the media by Obiageli Onuorah, NEITI, Head Communications and Advocacy, on Wednesday, after the meeting of heads of the two organisations, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji and the Chairman of the ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye.
According to NEITI, under the arrangement, the ICPC is to set up a special extractive industry desk while NEITI is to feed the desk with information and data on extractive industry revenue process abuses, lapses and corruption issues.
Dr. Orji disclosed that the joint cooperation arrangement between the two agencies became necessary to strengthen NEITI’s capacity to hold accountable, covered entities that fail to address issues or respond positively and timely to remedial issues contained in NEITI reports.
He welcomed the offer by the ICPC to support NEITI operations with enforcements which will ensure that adequate sanctions and consequences for financial misconduct in the extractive industries are meted out to erring covered entities.
Chairman of the ICPC Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, in his remark, commended NEITI’s initiative to seek partnership and collaboration in areas where NEITI needs help and support.
He said, “I pledge the support of the Commission under this joint cooperation arrangement. We will offer our support in the areas of investigation and prosecution which we consider, important steps towards checking corruption in the oil, gas and mining sector.” While lauding the efforts of NEITI for collaborating with the National Assembly and leading civil society advocacy actors for the early passage of the PIB, Prof. Owasanoye revealed that the the joint cooperation arrangement between the two organizations will be guided by a memorandum of understanding.