MOSOP president, Ledum Mitee, to head NEITI working group

An Ogoni activist invited to head a body working on transparency in Nigeria’s murky oil industry.

Ledum Mitee, an Ogoni rights activisit, has been appointed to head the National Stakeholders Working Group for the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI.

The appointment, approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, was annouced on Tuesday by Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Mr Ayim said the appointment was approved following the expiration of the tenure of the former members of the group.

Mr. Mitee is the president of a faction of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP. He was a colleague of Ken Saro Wiwa, who was executed in 1995 by the regime of military ruler, Sani Abacha. He became leader of MOSOP in 2006.

Early this month, another faction of MOSOP, led by Goodluck Diigbo, made a live broadcast in an underground radio station declaring political autonomy for the Ogoni in Rivers State. He is being hunted by security officials.

Mr. Anyim said the approval by the president was in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 (1), of the NEITI Act 2007.

The group has Mariam Ibrahim, Kate Okparaeke, Isaac Boyi and Patrick Udonfang as members.

Others are Abiola Edenaike, Abubakar Mahmud, Musa Nashum (representative of extractive companies), and the  National Coordinator of Publish What You Pay In Nigeria (representing civil society organisations).

The group also has as members President of PENGASSAN, Dominic Nwachukwu; MD, Ground Water Resources Ltd, Bassey Ekefene; and the Group Managing Director, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

The Executive Secretary (NEITI) will serve as secretary.

The group would be inaugurated Aug. 22.