BY Bolaji Ajala
THE Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI, has lauded its efforts in ensuring transparency in the process of gathering data on revenue flows between government and the oil and gas industries.

A technical expert from NEITI, Mr. Kazeem Lameed, commended the revenue watchdog last week in Lagos, during a two- day workshop on “Oil and Gas Revenue Flows in Nigeria,” organised by Publish What You Pay, PWYP, in collaboration with PACT and the United States Agency for International Development, USAID.

Enumerating the achievements of NEITI Lameed identified the approval of the 2006 to 2008 Audit Report ready for presentation to FEC, dissemination of the 2006 to 2007 Oil and Gas Audit Report, the scoping study of the solid mineral sector nearing completed, presentation of studies to stakeholders, and review of NEITI communication strategy and a host of others.

He revealed that as part of the capacity building initiatives, NEITI has scheduled to hold workshop for Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, and the media in the first week of December; conclusion of the evaluation of the expressions of interest, EOIs, for revenue, disbursement and value for money audit; implementation of the remediation issues through the Inter-Ministerial Task Team, IMTT, work plan in progress.”

He further stated that the procurement process for the 2009 to 2011 oil and gas audit will soon be completed, adding that the combined technical and financial report submitted to the Bureau of Public Procurements, BPP, has raised no objections.

Lameed attributed NEITI success to the aggressive public enlightenment programmes and engagement with stakeholders. Going forward, he said NEITI is working towards achieving regular audits for the extractive sectors, effective communication with stakeholders, stronger partnership with the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs and the legislature, automation of NEITI audit process, closer ties with extractive sector operators and human capital development.

He, however, called for support for its programmes from the PWYP coalition through capacity building for NEITI staff and external stakeholders, advocacy to stakeholders on remediation issues, implementation of NEITI five year strategy plan, dissemination of NEITI audit report and the use of NEITI audit reports to hold government accountable.

Delivering a paper entitled: “Understanding the NEITI Audit Report and Identifying Remediation Issues,” a Petroleum Analyst from the NEITI Technical Department, Ms. Murjanatu Magaji, called for improvement in the metering and measurement system for crude oil.

She argued that this will facilitate the accounting for government sales of crude oil, royalty and petroleum profit tax, PPT calculations.

She also called for effective monitoring of government equity in various ventures and contracts, signature bonuses, oil transfers to the federation account, capital expenditure, gas regulation, determination of amounts required to be paid to NDDC, and the management of refined product importation and distribution.

Magaji, however urged the Inter-Ministerial Task Team, IMTT, to brace up to its functions by developing revenue flows interface among government agencies, improving Nigeria’s oil and gas metering infrastructure, developing a uniform approach to cost determination, human capacity development and general improvement of extractive sector governance.