Buhari appoints Ogbonnaya Orji as executive secretary of NEITI

Muhammad A. Aliyu February 18, 2021

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President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Orji Ogbonnaya Orji as the new Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

The appointment which was announced in a statement on Thursday by the Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Willie Basset, will take effect from Friday, February 19.

According to the statement, Orji’s appointment is for a five-year term, adding that it was done in accordance with provisions of the NEITI Act.

Orji, who, until his new appointment was the Director of Communications and Advocacy at NEITI, takes over from the immediate past Executive Secretary of the organisation, Waziri Adio, whose term expired early this week.

The statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji as the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) for a single term of five (5) years in accordance with the provision of Section 12 (2) (a) and 6 (3) of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (Establishment) Act, 2007.

“The appointment takes effect from 19th February, 2021. Until the appointment, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji was the Agency’s Director of Communications & Advocacy.

“He began his career at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and also worked with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) where Dr. Orji managed several donor-funded projects.

“He holds MSc degree and PhD in Political Economy and International Development from the University of Abuja.

“NEITI was established in 2004 as the key Anti-Corruption Agency at the Presidency responsible for enthroning transparency, accountability and governance of the country’s oil, gas and mining industries.

“Mr. President enjoins the new appointee to serve the nation with all sense of responsibility, honesty, diligence and promote good governance in the discharge of his duties.”