The African Civil Society Coalition to Transparency in Extractive Industries (ACT), comprising 24 civil society organizations, has officially endorsed Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the upcoming elections in Bayelsa state, Nigeria’s south-south region.
During a conference in Accra, Ghana, from November 6th to 7th, the coalition urged attention to transparency in governance, particularly at the subnational level.
In a released communique, the group lauded Sylva for establishing the Bayelsa Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (BEITI), hailing it as a unique and groundbreaking effort in fostering due process, transparency, and accountability at the sub-national level in Nigeria.
The establishment of BEITI, according to the coalition, not only garnered increased attention from international donors and development partners but also attracted interest in Bayelsa state.
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The coalition encouraged other Nigerian state governors to emulate Sylva’s example to restore trust among stakeholders, asserting that supporting the APC candidate in the forthcoming elections would ensure responsible management of public resources in the state, benefiting the citizens.
Christian Dizulele, secretary of the Coalition and Executive Director of Critical Minerals for Development, based in Kivu, Congo, affirmed their intention to deploy a high-powered delegation of international observers to Yenagoa, the state capital, during the elections to ensure a free and fair electoral process.
The coalition stressed the need for bold leaders like Sylva to harness innovative resources for sustainable development, especially in resource-rich communities.
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They highlighted the significance of transparent governance in regions endowed with oil, gas, and critical minerals, emphasizing the necessity for such leadership across Africa.
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