By Tony Otaru
THE Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) said the process in the appointment of audit firms to conduct the audit of oil & gas industry and Solid Minerals sector for the period of 2009-2010, was the best and most transparent for now.
The explanation is coming on heels of criticisms that has trailed the announcement of Messrs Sada Idris & Co and Haruna Yahaya & Co as auditors by NEITI.
NEITI Executive Secretary, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, told journalists in Abuja that the auditors appointment was in line with the provisions in the Public Procurement laws.
He said the quality and cost- based method of selecting the contractor was employed by the agency, where the most preferred bidders were selected.
She explained further that their appointment was based on the method where priority was placed on specific experience, competence of proposed staff, adequacy of work plan and using BPP bidding template.
The NEITI boss said ‘After technical evaluation for the oil and gas audit, four firms that met the minimum score were invited to the opening of the financial bids held also at the same venue on Friday September 16, 2011 and all the bidding firms volunteered to be present to witness this important financial opening bid.
‘NEITI notes that as a result of the painstaking steps taken in addition to some challenges, the procurement process for this project lasted for 20 months.
But NEITI is encouraged that there is not a single petition from any of the firms that competed for the job or any form of complaint at any stage of the process,’ she insisted.
But there had been series of protest emanating from some civil society organisations on the competence of the two firms to handle the audit contract of the oil and gas, as well as the solid mineral sector.
Some issues raised by the petitioners included the fact that none of the firms have functional websites that could be accessed to trace their past work record.
It was alleged that the firms are not known auditors with proven record to be given such onerous task of auditing the sector that is riddled with corruption.
In all these, the NEITI boss insisted that the firms are verified and certified to have the competence to do the job and were directed to update their website to enable the people to assess all information that would desire to confirm about them.
‘NEITI is fully aware that the selection of its auditors usually attracts varied reactions for several reasons.
This was the case of when the Hart Group of London and Afemikhe were appointed in 2004 to conduct the first oil and gas industry audit.
‘From our records many, including the civil society, questioned their profiles, competence and capability to carry out the job.
But today Hart Group and Afemikhe are reference points,’ she noted.
