The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and a leading civil society organisation – Environmental Rights Action (ERA) – will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen civic engagements on environmental justice in the management of oil and gas emissions and gender issues, particularly in the extractive industries host communities.

The MoU will cover public education and enlightenment, civil society policy advocacy, capacity building on control of toxic and poisonous chemicals such as carbon monoxide, methane and other pollutants resulting from oil and gas exploration in host communities.

The Executive Secretary, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, made this known in Abuja at a meeting with a delegation from Environmental Right Action (ERA), which is based in the Niger Delta.

The organisation is known for promoting environmental justice in oil producing communities.

Ogbonnaya Orji welcomed the interest shown by the organisation to collaborate with NEITI in addressing this issue.

He added that the new focus of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) globally is on environmental justice, energy transition, climate change and gender equity.

The Executive Secretary emphasised the importance of dialogue, constructive civil society engagement, policy-based discussions with government and extractive industry companies and with diverse stakeholders adding these areas require partnership with civil society organisations.

To meet the challenges of a rapidly changing energy sector, Ogbonnaya Orji recalled that NEITI had recently launched a five-year strategic plan that takes these issues into consideration, and will soon commence the process of reviewing the agency’s enabling law. He also informed that the agency had embraced aggressive training programmes for its workforce.

The Executive Secretary invited the non-governmental organisation to carefully study the research publications on environment and gender recently launched by NEITI, with the support of Ford Foundation, so that it can position itself for a productive engagement with the commission on issues of environment.

Ogbonnaya Orji assured that the commission is ready to provide institutional support required to advance public dialogue, knowledge and action in this area.

The Executive Director of ERA, Bar. Chima Williams, who also led the delegation, described the collaboration with NEITI as timely and a project his organisation is fully committed to pursue.

Williams also used the opportunity to bring to NEITI’s attention the inherent danger facing the Nigerian economy and environment of the Niger Delta region as well as the gradual divestment of international oil companies from onshore to offshore operations that requires limited monitoring, which has left behind abandoned oil wells with environmental pollution and degradation consequences.

The Executive Director identified these challenges as areas of collaboration with NEITI, given the agency’s capacity to support the process with crucial information and data.

He pledged full commitment to the proposed MOU between NEITI and ERA.