The Sierra Leone Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has ended a two day workshop on the new Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Rules at the GIZ secretariat in Freetown.
Giving the keynote address, Dr. Kelfala Marah reaffirmed government’s commitment in ensuring that the country becomes EITI compliant.
He added that the government mining companies and civil society groups have an important role to play and therefore appealed to all of them to work amicably for the interest of the country.
Giving an overview of the new EITI rules and the major challenges, the Regional Director of EITI International Secretariat, Francis Paris, said that the 2011 edition of the EITI rules, includes the validation guide, bringing together of policy documents that comprise the rules of the EITI.
He added that the rules set out the requirement for countries implementing the EITI process, adding that the government is required to ensure that civil society is fully engaged in the process.
The Regional Director maintained that government is required to remove any obstacles that disturb the implementation of the EITI and that government is required to ensure that company reports are based on accounts audited to international standards.
He noted that the government and multi-stakeholder groups must ensure that the EITI report is comprehensible and publicly accessible in such a way as to encourage public debate.
GIZ Resource governance Project Manager Friedeman Gille, stated that GIZ is working efficiently, effectively and in partnership with the government of Sierra Leone.
He added that GIZ is fully part of the SLEITI process in Sierra Leone and they are giving financial support and complementing government effort in the EITI activities.
The Resource Governance Project Manager said that his organization supports people and countries in developing and shaping their futures and improving living conditions.
Gille emphasized that GIZ is funding the regional resource governance in the Extractive Sector in West Africa. He appealed to the stakeholders to put pen on paper with all effort and to send the SLEITI report on time before the closing deadline.
Making his statement the Consultant and Former Coordinator for Liberia EITI, Negbalee Warner said that the MSG is the governing board that drives the entire national EITI program. He added that the duties of the MSG is the endorsement of the country work plan and approval of the independent resources.
Mr Negbalee added that the government is required to amend legislation making it mandatory that companies report as per the EITI criteria on the agreed reporting templates.
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