OrderPaper hails NNPC, NEITI over progress in resolution of audit issues

OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative has commended the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the progress recorded in resolving some outstanding issues in the oil and gas industry audits.

In a statement signed by Oke Epia, its executive director, OrderPaper said the successful resolution of 55 percent of outstanding issues by a joint committee of the NNPC and NEITI is exemplary.

The joint committee was inaugurated in November 2019, and after a year, had presented its report noting that 11 issues — representing 55 percent — have been fully resolved.

Epia said the results achieved by the collaboration validates the advocacy mounted by the civil society community on remediation of audit findings over the years, particularly the introduction of the RemTrack mobile application on NEITI oil and gas audits.

The RemTrack app, which was unveiled in December 2019, was designed and developed by OrderPaper.

The technology-for-development tool was adopted by the civil society steering committee (CSSC) of NEITI, and is mainly used for tracking progress made on remediation of the annual audits.

According to Epia, the collaborative effort which eventually led to a resolution of 11 out of the 20 issues raised by the NEITI, points to significant reform in the oil and gas sector.

“The uptake in the resolution of pending remedial issues, some of which are legacy in nature, is heartwarming and a demonstration of the appetite for reforms of the NNPC under its current management,” he said.

“It also testifies to the unflinching commitment of NEITI to ensure compliance with the EITI standards and continually push the boundaries of transparency and accountability in the extractive industries of Nigeria.

“This development, no doubt, provides an impetus to advance the public engagement advocacy anchored on the RemTrack application, towards achieving the ultimate objective of making extractive resources produce maximum benefits for citizens of Nigeria.”