Abuja 23rd June 2023. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and a leading civil society organisation – Environmental Rights Action (ERA) – will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen civic engagements on environmental justice in the management of oil and gas emissions and gender issues, particularly in the extractive industries host communities.
The Memorandum of Understanding will cover public education and enlightenment, civil society policy advocacy, capacity building on control of toxic and poisonous chemicals such as Carbon Monoxide, Methane and other pollutants resulting from oil and gas exploration in host communities.
The NEITI Executive Secretary, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, announced this in Abuja at a meeting with a delegation from Environmental Right Action (ERA), which is based in the Niger Delta. The Organisation is known for promoting environmental justice in oil producing communities.
Dr Orji welcomed the special interest shown by the organisation to collaborate with NEITI in addressing this issue. He added that the new focus of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) globally is on environmental justice, Energy Transition, climate change and gender equity.
The NEITI Executive Secretary emphasize the importance of dialogue, constructive civil society engagement, policy-based discussions with government and extractive industry companies and with diverse stakeholders. As he noted these areas require partnership with civil society organisations.
Dr Orji further explained that to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing energy sector, NEITI has recently launched a five-year strategic plan that takes these issues into consideration, and will soon commence the process of reviewing the agency’s enabling law. As he also informed, the agency has embraced aggressive training programmes for its workforce.
The NEITI Executive Secretary invited the Non-Governmental Organisation to carefully study the research publications on Environment and Gender recently launched by NEITI, with the support of Ford Foundation, so it can position itself for a productive engagement with NEITI on issues of Environment.
Dr Orji assured that NEITI is ready to provide institutional support required to advance public dialogue, knowledge and action in this area.
Responding to these, the Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action (ERA), Bar. Chima Williams, who also led the delegation, described the collaboration with NEITI as timely and a project his Organisation is fully committed to pursue.
Bar. Chima Williams also used the opportunity to bring to NEITI’s attention the inherent danger facing the Nigerian economy and environment of the Niger Delta region as well as the gradual divestment of international oil companies from onshore to offshore operations that requires limited monitoring, which has left behind abandoned oil wells with environmental pollution and degradation consequences.
He identified this challenges as areas of collaboration with NEITI, given the agency’s capacity to support the process with crucial information and data. He pledged full commitment to the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NEITI and ERA.
OBIAGELI ONUORAH (MRS)
Deputy Director/Head Communications & Stakeholders Management.