THE Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), on Thursday, urged social media influencers in Nigeria to lead the advocacy for massive reforms in the management of nation’s oil, gas and mining sectors.
It noted that the task of promoting transparency and accountability by the social media was a role that must not be abdicated, imploring them to observe a high degree of responsibility, objectivity, accuracy, truth, balance, professional and self-regulation, quality content and responsibility in fulfilling this important role so as to earn public trust.
The Chairman, Communications Committee of NEITI’s National Stakeholders’ Working Group (NSWG) and veteran journalist, Mr Gbenga Onayiga gave this advice in a signed statement by the Director, Communications of the agency, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, a copy of which was made available to the Tribune Oline .
He identified social media influencers as critical success factor in NEITI’s public education and enlightenment programmes on prudent management of Nigeria’s natural resources.
Mr Onayiga was quoted of giving this advice in Lagos, while declaring open a workshop on “The role of New Media in Reporting the Extractive Sector” organized for social media influencers in Lagos.
According to him, “the social media provides suitable platforms for NEITI to deepen its advocacy and engagements with multi-stakeholders, especially the younger generation.
“The social media platforms will help disseminate basic information and data on the process and benefits of Nigeria’s implementation of the standards of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). This is to ensure that revenues from the sector support national development, reduce poverty and rescue the country from the syndrome of resource curse”, he added.
He identified the role of the social media to include dissemination of NEITI audit reports, simplification of issues, citizen’s mobilization, campaign and advocacy for implementation of recommendations, monitoring and evaluation of the results and impacts in the lives of the citizens.
and then