Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) says NEITI will continue to strengthen its partnership with the media for effective reportage of the extractive Industries in the country.
Orji made this known at a capacity building for newsmen on Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and NEITI’s operations in Nasarawa, on Wednesday.
He said that the media have a major role to play in ensuring that the government gets value from revenue generated from the extractives industry in the country.
He said that Nigeria remained a member country of the Global EITI and must be transparent in what happened in the sector.
According to him, the EITI has been changing its focus and has moved from focusing on oil and gas, Extractives revenue to Environmental, gender equity and other areas.
This, he said, the media must be abreast of as those that help in forming the opinion of the public.
“The EITI is evolving and will continue to change, it has moved from oil and gas, to environment, to gender and even to beneficial ownership
“It is looking at why the extractive industry is dominated by male and also at equity distribution in the industry. It has also expanded to energy transition.
“In all of these, how will the media report, interpret and form opinion of people in some emerging economies.
“That is part of why we are here, we need to be knowledgeable enough to be able to effectively report these areas and NEITI will continue to partner the media especially in areas of capacity building,’’ he said.
He further urged the Media to continue to be responsible in reporting and ensuring that government revenues were properly remitted to help grow the economy.