NEITI Advocates Collaboration with Mines Ministry on Data Sharing
The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, has visited the ministry of mines and steel development, to deepen both organisations’ collaboration on prompt sharing of information.
Orji noted that the cooperation will improve revenue contributions from the mining sector to the federation account, reiterating that reconciling what companies pay to government in terms of taxes, royalties, rents and all statutory titles and payments, remain the major function of NEITI.
He explained that such partnership would ensure that the revenues and contributions from the solid minerals sector are accounted for and properly attributed to the ministry.
Orji noted the latest NEITI solid minerals report showed phenomenal revenue growth from the sector, but however added that more could be achieved if the ministry and NEITI share information, data as well as capacity building of the staff.
“I appeal to the minister to take special interests in the work that NEITI does because it will support the on-going reforms in the ministry. When you have reliable data, it can be used to institute effective planning and governance of the sector and diversify the revenue sources of the nation.
“NEITI’s mandate is all about reconciling what companies pay to government and what government receive in taxes, royalties, rents and all statutory titles and payments,” he stated.
He stated that while the relationship between the two organisations has been cordial, there was the need for the mining inspectorate division to be more responsive and share timely data on royalty payments.
“This is to enable us report more accurately revenues accruing from the ministry and plug leakages where they
exist,” Orji stated.
In his response, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, noted that while the pursuit for transparency is not an easy one, it has however strengthened the sector.
While giving an insight into the activities of the ministry in the areas of artisanal mining, mine inspectorate, digital infrastructure, Adegbite stated that the ministry has a very robust server that cost government a lot of money to develop.