Minister of Petroleum orders agencies to work with NEITI

The Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Tuesday directed agencies under the ministry to collaborate with Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) for audit and revenue recovery.

Alison-Madueke gave the directive at the Public Enlightenment Workshop on Oil and Gas Industry Audit for 2012, organised by NEITI in Lagos.

The minister also urged other stakeholders to cooperate with NEITI in the ongoing audit by providing timely information and data to the agency. “One of the cardinal points of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that is to ensure transparency, accountability and constructive reforms in the oil and gas industry.


“I’m delighted that NEITI has valuable contributions on the bill. “Clearly, my presence at this event today justifies that my ministry, department, parastatals, agency, NNPC and all its subsidiaries are in full support of NEITI audit process.

“This is true measure of transparency and accountability in the oil and gas industry. We shall continue to provide the requite support to NEITI,’’ she said. Alison-Madueke said that NEITI’s audit had identified that some payments had been under assessed and under payment of taxes and royalties in the oil and gas industry.

She charged agencies and department under the ministry to work closely with NEITI in the recovery of all revenues due to Federal Government. “Let me say that NEITI reports are vital instruments which government will continue to work with.

“As a result of the important work of NEITI, an inter-ministerial taxes team has been reconstituted by Federal Government to implements and address all the remedial issues and identify outstanding government revenues,” she said. (Nation)