The integrity of the contents, findings and recommendations of the recently published 2021 Oil and Gas Industry Report are unimpeachable, as they are not only empirical, but covered entities-driven, with multi-stakeholders’ participation and ownership, the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) insists.
NEITI, which published the report as part of its mandate, made the clarification in Abuja on Wednesday after media reports alleged that the transparency agency denied the contents of the report.
The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, said in rebuttal that insinuations in the allegation attributed to the National Coordinator of the Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Nigeria, a civil society organisation in the extractive sector was not only shocking, unfounded and incorrect, but false and misleading.
“For avoidance of doubt, NEITI solidly stands by the crucial facts, information and data publicly disclosed in all its Industry Reports, including the 2021 oil and gas industry report that is already in the public domain.
“NEITI wishes to use this opportunity to emphasize that its reports are empirical, covered entities-driven, with multi-stakeholders’ participation and ownership,” Orji said.
While reiterating that NEITI was always available to enlighten and offer clarifications on issues contained in any of its reports when called upon to do so, Orji spoke about what NEITI did to clarify its position on the process that characterized the 2020/2021 marginal oil fields bids commenced by the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). He said the NEITI 2020/2021 Report that covered the period promptly tracked, faulted and queried the bid process, adding that the Report also noted that the DPR which commenced the process ceased to exist by August 2021 when the Petroleum Industry Act took effect.
This, he pointed out, followed the creation of two regulatory institutions in the sector, including the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which took over the responsibilities of the defunct DPR, including the marginal field bid exercise in 2022/23.
Also, Orji said NEITI equally publicly clarified that under the NEITI independent processes, it was its industry report for the 2022-2023 that would comprehensively review and report on how that exercise was conducted and possibly concluded by the NUPRC.
In addition, Orji said NEITI further stated that “except and until the 2022/23 industry report is conducted and published, the agency is in no position to hold neither the NUPRC, nor any other institution, individuals or group accountable.”
On the statement allegedly credited to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and attributed to the media that “NEITI dismissed many of the allegations in its 2021 report”, NEITI categorically declared that they were “totally false, strange and ridiculous.”
“NEITI never did that. As an Agency, we stand by our reports,” Orji insisted.
Clarifying further, Orji said while still in doubt that the alleged statement actually emanated from the NNPC Ltd, NEITI would not only be engaging with the Corporation to verify the source and authenticity of the illogical statement, but would reaffirm that the agency stands by its reports at all times.
“NEITI wishes to reassure the public that we will not be distracted from the series of meetings and constructive engagements already ongoing between the NEITI, NUPRC and NNPC Ltd to address remedial issues raised by the report, especially unremitted revenues payable to the federation.
“NEITI wishes to restate that the impression by the authors of the uninformed petition, that relevant government agencies and companies covered by the agency’s processes are enemies to NEITI for which disagreements and acrimony must prevail at all times in all engagements is quite wrong and unfortunate.
“NEITI is not an enemy to any and all of these agencies and other covered entities. In fact, they are stakeholders and partners that require collaboration, cooperation and partnerships based on constructive dialogue and engagements around extractive industry issues.
“Furthermore, while NEITI has no control over how relevant government agencies in Nigeria, companies and civil society organisations respond or engage with the contents of its reports, including the 2021 Oil & Gas Report, in the public space, it strongly advised that such engagements should be fair, open, constructive, issue-based, devoid of falsehood, blackmail or deliberate mischief,” Orji said.
He said NEITI therefore, welcomed and applauded the support and special interest of the many hard working notable civil society organisations that held events and organised programmes to enhance and support the ongoing dissemination of the 2021 oil and gas report.
Besides, he said NEITI equally applauded the National Assembly where the same Report has been laid before the plenary session of the House of Representatives for debate for the first time in NEITI’s history, while a public hearing on the contents of the report was being planned by the relevant Committees of the National Assembly, House of Representatives in due course.
