By Emmanuel Sampson
A former member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Usoro Akpanusoh, has urged journalists to strengthen their advocacy and investigative efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and sustainable practices in Nigeria’s extractive sector.
Akpanusoh made the call on Wednesday in his welcome address at the 13th Anniversary celebration of Insight Newspapers Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, held at the Press Centre in Uyo with the theme, “Media Advocacy and Investigation Across Extractive Sector Value Chain in Nigeria.”
Speaking as Chairman of the Session, Akpanusoh said his experience as a representative of an oil-bearing constituency had given him firsthand insight into the complexities and challenges confronting communities affected by extractive activities.
The ex-lawmaker, who represented Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency from 2015 to 2023, described the summit as more than just an anniversary event, emphasising that it provided a critical platform for dialogue, learning, and collaboration among journalists and stakeholders in the extractive sector.
According to him, the extractive industry remains a vital component of Nigeria’s economy but is also associated with environmental and socio-economic challenges that require sustained public scrutiny.
Akpanusoh urged journalists to employ investigative journalism to expose practices that threaten the environment and the wellbeing of communities, while advocating for policies and practices that promote environmental sustainability and protect future generations.
He also called for stronger collaboration among media professionals, civil society organisations, government agencies, communities, and other stakeholders to address the challenges facing the extractive sector.
The former lawmaker further emphasised the importance of capacity building for journalists, stating that equipping media practitioners with the necessary skills and knowledge would improve the quality of reporting and advocacy on issues related to the extractive industry.
Akpanusoh commended the Chapel for sustaining its activities for 13 years, noting that Weekly Insight Newspaper has, over the years, remained committed to news reportage, investigative journalism, and raising awareness on critical societal issues.
He expressed appreciation to the State Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Nsibiet John, whom he described as a change agent, for his efforts toward transforming the union and enhancing its activities.
In his keynote presentation, Mr. Mfon Gabriel, Executive Director of the Ibom Peoples’ Empowerment and Ecosystem Restoration (PEER) Foundation, outlined the six stages of Nigeria’s extractive value chain, namely Exploration, Development, Production, Trading and Export, Revenue Collection, and Revenue Allocation.
He emphasised that each stage presents potential points of leakage, which journalists must skillfully investigate to ensure transparency and accountability.
Mr. Gabriel also identified five critical investigative targets for the year, including the $6.175 billion debt, urging a thorough identification of responsible companies and calling on the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to explain the reasons behind delayed recoveries; as well as the ₦1.742 trillion variance, highlighting the 17% discrepancy between the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)’s reconciled figures and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL)’s audited accounts;
Others, he mentioned, are discrepancies in the DSDP currency transactions, particularly tracing swap deals where the 30-day USD remittance rule was quietly extended to 90 days with Naira payments; the 5% ownership threshold issue, calling for a scrutiny of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) records to expose politically exposed persons behind92 companies lacking anti-corruption policies, and the CDA field audit, which involves comparing official documents filed at the Ministry of Energy and Coordination (MEC) against the actual conditions observed in Nasarawa, Kogi, and the Niger Delta regions.
In addition, Gabriel highlighted six key advocacy fronts, including to: Eliminate the DSDP foreign exchange loophole by enforcing the 30-day USD remittance rule without exceptions; Compel the formal gazetting of regulations governing the Upstream Environmental Remediation Fund; Demand an independent audit addressing the multi-billion-litre petrol (PMS) import discrepancy; Close the NNPCL’s 30% retention loophole through definitive legislative action; Mandate a thorough, gross-basis reconciliation of historical 13% derivation underpayments to oil-producing states; and Finalise the pending Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NEITI and the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to safeguard civil society actors from harassment.
Through these targets and advocacy points, Mr. Gabriel called for sustained media vigilance and proactive investigation as crucial tools to strengthen governance and integrity within Nigeria’s extractive sector.
Earlier, in his opening address, the Chairman of Insight Chapel, Comrade Itoro Bassey, said the 13th anniversary was an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of the Chapel and the media to society.
Bassey described Weekly Insight as one of the oldest regional newspapers based in Akwa Ibom State, noting that the publication has remained committed to being “the voice of the voiceless” and advancing the journalism profession.
He commended the publisher of Insight Newspapers, Barr David Augustine, for his continued mentorship and support, noting that his guidance remains invaluable to the chapel.
In his remarks, the State Chairman of the NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council, Comrade Nsibiet John, commended the leadership of Insight Newspapers Chapel for “raising the bar” in journalism and leadership through the anniversary programme.
John assured members that the union would continue to support its various chapels and members towards professional growth and development.
