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NEITI Plans To Unveil Status Report On Petroleum Industry Act
The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, has said the agency would, in the coming weeks, convene a multi-stakeholders forum to provide a status report on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Orji, who disclosed this at the 1st National Extractives Dialogue (NED), held in Abuja, yesterday, said in the last one year, NEITI has deliberately focused on aligning its operations to addressing key issues that will aid the government to help citizens.
“These issues include designing an effective implementation framework for the Petroleum Industry Act.
“NEITI is serving on the Presidential Steering Committee, and infact, we sit on all the four sub committees. NEITI will in the coming weeks convene a multi-stakeholders forum to provide a status report. Our legitimate interest in the PIA is not only because it is a product of our reports findings and recommendations but because it is key to addressing all the pending remedial issues we have highlighted to reform the industry”, he said.
The executive secretary said the 1st National Extractives Dialogue (NED) is co-hosted by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and Spaces for Change (S4C), an indigenous civil society organisation, with support from the Ford Foundation.
According to him, the collaboration and evolving partnership with Spaces for Change is in line with NEITI’s renewed commitment to provide the required institutional platform to push the boundaries of civic space for wider civil society participation in the extractive industries.
He stated that NEITI chose to work closely with Spaces for Change to address enormous challenges and impediments to reforms in the industry, especially in the areas of environmental protection, efficient resource allocation and utilization, contract transparency and on energy transition.
“This event is designed to provide companies, governments and civil society and development partners in the extractive industry a platform to discuss three contemporary issues of contract transparency, extractive resources benefits sharing and energy transition in West Africa, with a focus on Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal.
“The overall goal is to enable governments, companies, civil society and communities to evaluate the energy industry and proffer evidence-based policy recommendations for the efficient and effective management of natural resource benefits and the transition from fossil fuel to a renewable energy regime with these countries as case studies”.
Orji further stated that NEITI will on June 29, release a research Policy Advisory on the cost of fuel subsidy to the country.
“The publication will outline facts and figures to reinforce NEITI’s position that the removal of fuel subsidy will free our economy from bondage, benefit the majority poor and possibly may hit the few affluent rich currently involved in the subsidy transactions.
“To this end, our industry reports in the oil, gas and mining sector are now and will remain current and our public disclosures are bold, incisive and impactful. We intend to publish the 2021 oil & gas and solid minerals industry reports by November, this year.
“Another report on Fiscal Allocation and Statutory Disbursement that tracks revenues generation and utilisation with facts on managing and improving internally generated revenues also this year. We have automated our data and information gathering process through the NEITI Audit Management System project recently concluded and launched by our Board- the National Stakeholders Working Group,” he said.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
