Africa-Press – Liberia. The Secretariat of the Liberia Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative has concluded a two day orientation for members of the Multi-stakeholder Steering Group (MSG).
The learning exercise specifically provided an opportunity for new members who were recently appointed by President George Weah to be acquainted with the MSG policy manual and the LEITI Act. The two-day event also saw the approval of an updated communications strategy as well as a resolution adopting an open data policy for the EITI implementation in Liberia.
Liberia joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global coalition of governments, companies, civil society groups and investors, in July 2007.
The group is devoted to ensuring that proceeds from extractive industries such as petrol, diamond and gold, among many others, are used to develop countries in which the minerals are found and improve the living conditions of the people.
Liberia’s endorsement of the initiative at time brought to a 22 countries (14 in Africa of the world’s 53 natural resource-rich countries that have endorsed ETI.
The Chairman of the MSG board, C. Mike Doyen told the gathering at the opening of the orientation that they need to work together as a team in order to achieve the objectives of the group.
“We need to ensure transparency in the extractive sector and generate the needed revenue that will help move our country forward. We cannot do that if we do not work as a team,” he said.
“We need to be committed to what we do and we must consult each other as we go along,” Mr. Doryen, who is also the Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), said. “I like the fact that we are now having more conversations among ourselves to settle issues that arise and no longer running to the media to make our points.”
The local transparency body was in 2018 suspended by the international body when the government breached its commitment to the agreement—a situation that stalled the LEITI’s operations in the country until the ban was lifted after several months. A reconstitution of the MSG board was recommended.
President George Weah on September 25, 2018 completed the appointment of new members to the LEITI‘s MSG. Membership of the group was drawn from the Liberia Labor Congress, Liberia Gold/Diamond Broker & Dealers Association, Press Union of Liberia, and the Liberia Timber Association. Others were representatives from Golden Veroleum Liberia, Arcelor Mittal, and Firestone Liberia among others.
The President designated the Managing Director of the Forestry Development authority (FDA), C. Mike Donyen, and Minister of Mines and Energy, Gesler E. Murray, as Chair and Co-Chair of the MSG respectively..
The finalization of the constitution of the MSG came in the wake of the recommendation made by the international EITI secretariat to the Government of Liberia in its suspension notice published on its website on September 6, 2018, which calls for the immediate constitution the MSG in partnership with the civil society and the industries so as to revitalize the implementation of the EITI activities in Liberia.
The EITI is a network that requires governments and mining companies to publish and reconcile data on oil, gas, and mining revenues as a mechanism for ensuring transparency, accountability and subsequently proper management of revenues that accrue from a country’s natural resources exploitation among other associated benefits.
The MSG, which consists of the government, Private Sector players and CSO representatives, was established to ensure that Liberia meets its objective of gaining EITI candidacy, as well as ensuring that the EITI implementation is done efficiently to achieve accountability and transparency in the management of the extractive sector in Liberia.
During the training, the MSG members benefitted from enriching presentations and discussions about the EITI Standard, Term of Reference, Code of Conduct, workplan, budget, timelines, roles, expectations, the budget and compliance requirements
The LEITI Secretariat, which organized the training, said it enhanced the capacity of the new members and will help to improve the preparedness of CSO actors in the implementation of EITI.
The Liberian endorsement is unique in that it goes beyond oil, gas and minerals to include forestry resources in the implementation of the Initiative. Liberia is therefore taking the lead in this area and will serve as a pilot case for future extension of the Initiative to other sectors.
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