August 29, 2016 By Joseph S. Margai
A two-day workshop hosted by National Advocacy Coalition on Extractives (NACE) for civil society groups and the media on new standards and procedures of the Extractives Industries and Transparency Initiatives (EITI) ended last Friday at the Hill Valley Hotel in Freetown.
Civil society activists and media practitioners were urged to ensure that anomalies in the extractive industries are reported to the appropriate authorities for action to be taken.
Head of NACE, Cecilia Mattia, said journalists and civil society activists must be able to get relevant information from the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources, National Minerals Agency, among other institutions, about the operations of mining companies in the country.
“In the course of soliciting the information, if there is any stumbling block, bring it to NACE and we will make a way for you. The EITI compliance can be enhanced when the EITI process is discussed in public vehicles, schools, offices, community town hall meetings, and other places,” she said.
Valnora Edwin, head of Campaign for Good Governance and a member of NACE, said the media should cover stories about transparency in the mining sector, adding that the government should publish fees mining companies pay and the various taxes obligations involved.
“We should raise proper questions rather than making allegations about the activities of the mining companies. There are many things that are not going on well in the extractive industries and the media and civil society organisations should ask questions about it,” she said.
Giving an overview of the EITI, Executive Director of Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), Abu Brima, said the process was launched in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg by Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister.
“The idea is that, if what is mined is used meaningfully, it helps the countries involved in it. Excesses and damages that are being done in the mining, oil and gas industries are being under reported because of the lack of openness,” he said and added that the EITI helps improve countries’ use and management of their God-given endowment.
Brima said the EITI principles include prudent use of natural resources, management of natural resources for citizens, public understanding of government revenues and expenditures, respect for contracts and laws, enhanced environment for domestic and foreign direct investment, workable approach to the disclosure of payments and revenues, among others.
He disclosed that the EITI criteria include regular publication of proceeds from oil and gas, and mining payments by companies to government, civil society engagement, among others. He added that the EITI requirements are effective oversight by multi-stakeholder groups and timely publication of the EITI report.
Lead facilitator at the workshop, Emmanuel Gaima, urged civil society activists and the media to be holding mining companies and the government to be accountable and transparent to the citizenry.
Meanwhile, a press conference was held during the working session by the delegation from the EITI global Secretariat, headed by chair Fredrik Reinfeldt.