The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Kesiye Wabote, has advocated for action parties to provide annual status reports of the successes, issues, support required, and target completion dates.
He made the recommendation at the just concluded Nigerian International Energy Summit (NIES) held at Abuja where he made separate presentations on Local Content Investment and Sustainable Energy Future and Building Local Content and Capacity for Realization of Nigeria’s Decade of Gas.
He suggested that the status reports would be prepared by agencies, entities and stakeholders that are responsible for the various projects and initiatives identified in the Decade of Gas programme and presented at the NIES which holds annually at Abuja.
He challenged stakeholders not to get distracted or lose steam in the implementation of the programme even as a new administration is set to assume office on May 29, 2023.
While calling for the continuity of the Decade of Gas programmes, he hinted that “it is possible that the incoming government will give the programme a new name but we must not lose focus on the importance of gas to our energy needs and economic development.”
The Executive Secretary also highlighted eight focus areas the Board is utilizing to drive the realization of the Decade of Gas initiative of the Federal Government.
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They include Human Capacity Development, Construction of Industrial Parks, Public-Private Partnerships and Nigerian Content Intervention Funds. Others are Research and Development, Regulatory Framework, Regional Collaboration, and Enabling Business Environment.
Dwelling on the capacity building programmes required to enhance the training and re-training of capable workforce for the industry, Wabote explained that NCDMB had “delivered close to 14 million manhours of training for acquisition of various skill sets required to explore, develop, operate, and maintain hydrocarbon facilities.”
He listed some of the Board’s Human Capacity Development tools and programmes to include the Expatriate Quota Management System, STEM Education, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), Institutional Strengthening, ICT Centres, and Training Certifications.
He stated that the Board’s capacity-building programmes were impactful and acknowledged internationally, adding that the survey carried out by African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) to assess the standards in training institutions on the African continent rated Nigeria as one of the top countries with credible institutions for training the required manpower for the oil and gas industry.
Giving updates on the construction of oil and gas industrial parks, the Executive Secretary said the Board has commenced issuance of allocation letters to credible investors in readiness for the commencement of operations within the NOGAPS Industrial Parks located in Bayelsa and Cross River states.
He informed that “the NCDMB Gas Hub at Polaku is fully dedicated to domiciliation of gas related enterprises such as Pressure Reduction and Metering Station, CNG mother stations, LPG cylinder manufacturing plant, Gas processing facilities, power plant, and other similar facilities.”
