OGRepublic August Edition

SPECIAL FEATURES
EFCC, NEITI Sign MOU to Check Corruption in Extractive Industry
T
he Executive Chairman, Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa has reiterated the
Commission’s resolve to sanitize and deal
with fraud-related issues in the extractive
industries.
The EFCC boss stated this during the signing
of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU,
between the EFCC and the Nigeria Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI led
by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya
Orji at the Commission’s Headquarters, Jabi,
Abuja.
The EFCC boss promised to use the
Commission’s Extractive Industry Fraud
Section to deal with issues relating to the
extractive industries, and to sanitize the
sector. “I want to assure you that all the
issues that your report will raise and all the
issues that we are also seeing on our own
relating to extractive industries, in oil and gas
as well as in solid mineral, we will deal head
on with them.”
He promised to work with NEITI in meeting
the expectation of both parties for the
b etterment o f t h e country. “ T h e
Memorandum of Understanding is very clear
regarding your expectation and our
expectation and I want to assure you in
addition to other issues of training and all of
that, we will do our best and ensure that the
industry is sanitized for the betterment of
this country.
“The EFCC so much believe that if we can
block the leakages, this country will not need
to borrow a single cent from any other
country to come and finance our budget and
that is why we are interested in this MoU and
that is why we are keen to see that the
extractive industries are sanitized for the
betterment of this country.”
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of
NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji noted that
with the MoU, NEITI, which has no
enforcement powers, will be able to leverage
on the powers of the EFCC, to “bark and bite”.
“We are here because the EFCC and NEITI are
in this together, to rescue our country from
indiscipline, malfeasance, mismanagement
of public resources; to work together with
the EFCC to seek avenues to channel our
peoples mind to living legitimate lives and
adding content and public value to whatever
assignment they have been given for the
benefit of our citizens,” he said.
The NEITI boss also promised to work with
the EFCC to strengthen their position and
In an effort to avert petroleum explosion
in filling stations, Department of
Petroleum Resource in collaboration
with a Zaria based non-Governmental
organisation, Raudha Technology have trained
petroleum pump attendants on Minimum
Industrial Safety Training for Downstream
Operations (MISTDO).
Flagging off training which lasted 2 days held
Zaria Institute of Information and Educational
Technology Zaria, Kaduna state Controller,
Department of Petroleum Resource, Engineer
Suleiman Yusuf charged downstream operators
to prevent frequent fire outbreak in filling
stations by financing their workers for the
training.
The controller represented by a Senior
Chemical Researcher in the Department,
Engineer Aliyu Shehu lamentered that a lot of
lives and property were being lost to petroleum
explosion at filling stations in the country.
Engineer Yusuf noted that it was mandatory for
all the Down Stream operators to undergo the
training. He said his department would go
rounds petroleum stations assess the Down
Chief Timipre Sylva
Execu ve Chairman, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa and Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, NEITI's
Execu ve Secretary signing the MOU
rescue the extractive industries resources.
“We are very grateful that you have offered us
the support and we will relate with mutual
respect as two sister agencies and timely
exchange of information and data will be very
useful in this relationship.
“As an agency we believe in the work the EFCC is
doing and we are very proud of the courage and
excellence that this institution has exhibited in the
face of all kinds of challenges, and we will continue
to encourage men and women of goodwill, fellow
Nigerians that are working here that you are on the
right track and you have an ally in NEITI.”
DPR, NGO Train Downstream On MISTDO
Stream operators especially the pump
attendants.
“We will go round petrol station to assess the
workers if we find out they did not acquire
knowledge through MISTDO we new renew the
licensee of that Petro station or revoke it”. The
controller warned.
Engineer Yusuf called on the marketers to take
advantage of the policy to secure their property
and other’s as well as lives of citizens.
In his presentation on safety and impact to
Downstream Sector Engineer Jamilu Doguwa
said that the objective of the Policy was to
increase awareness in safety and risk associated
with operations in the Downstream, improve
knowledge and General competence level in
the Downstream among other benefits.
Also in his remarks the chairman Raudha
Technology called on the participants to make
use of training secure their lives, property of
their employers and lives other citizens by
applying the knowledge the received in the
discharge of their legitimate duties.
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