President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji as new Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
Orji’s appointment, which would take effect from Friday, February 19, 2021, followed the expiration of the term of office of the immediate past Executive Secretary of the organisation, Waziri Adio.
A statement by the Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Mr Willie Basset, indicated the new appointment was for a five-year term, explaining it was done in accordance with provisions of the NEITI Act.
President Buhari charged the new Executive Secretary to use his new office to serve Nigeria with diligence and promote honesty and transparency.
“The statement reads “President Buhari 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,”
Dr Orji Ogbonnaya, who started out his professional career with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), was until his new appointment the Director of Communications and Advocacy at NEITI.
“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.