Lawmakers Back Local Pipe Manufacturing Companies

Lawmakers Back Local Pipe Manufacturing Companies

Jonathan Eze
The National Assembly is to back two major Nigerian companies in the business of pipe making and coating in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.
Disclosing this at the end of a day inspection visit to Solewant Nigeria Limited, a $48billion paint and cement pipe coating factory at Alode, Eleme in Rivers State, Senator Solomon Adeola, the Chairman of Senate Committee on Local Content in the company of Hon. Emmanuel Ekong, the Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Local Content, among others, stated that not only are the companies employing hundreds of Nigerians but they are in compliance with international standards.

“From what we have seen in the factory and the briefing on their operations, Solewant Nigeria Limited and another company in Abuja are the only two functional out of four similar companies in Nigeria meeting requirements for oil and gas contracts from international oil companies, NNPC, NNLG and other such organisations operating in Nigeria. “There is no reason for them not to have first consideration in such contracts in compliance with Local Content Act 2010” Adeola stated.

This was contained in a statement sent to THISDAY.
The senator said it was commendable that the company is 100 per cent Nigerian owned, stressing that with more patronage according to Local Content Law, the company would be able to increase its work force of 250 Nigerians further as well as reduce down time of the factory.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Solomon Ewanehi, told the lawmakers that the company has a track record of successful execution of projects for NNPC, Total Nig Ltd, ExxonMobil, among others, adding that the challenge facing the company has to do with non- patronage by some exploration and production companies in the oil sector who still give out contracts to foreign firms for work they could do here in Nigeria.

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