NCDMB, NAOC Boost Local Content in Oil and Gas Sector

NCDMB, NAOC Boost Local Content in Oil and Gas Sector

Dike Onwuamaeze
The federal government’s drive for more Nigerians to participate in the country’s oil and gas sector received a boost recently with the graduation of 25 trainee engineers with relevant skills to operate in various areas of oil and gas operation.

The engineers were trained by Amazon Energy Limited for 30 months under the Kwale Gas Flaredown Training Project in accordance with the NOGICD Act 2010 and Nigeria Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Human Capacity Development (HCD) Implementation Guidelines of 2014. The training was facilitated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC).

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, who delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony, described the occasion as another landmark achievement by NCDMB, because human capacity development “is a mandatory fulfillment of the NOGICD Act and guideline issued in 2014.”

Wabote, who was represented by the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation of NCDMB, Mr. Tunde Adelana, said the trainees were graduating in various fields of engineering with the right skills and different levels of internationally recognised certifications in civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanical and piping engineering, process engineering, electrical engineering and instrumentation engineering.

“We believe that the graduating trainees are in no doubt well equipped with relevant skills to favourably compete with their peers in any part of the world. You have been prepared to go into the world and take control,” he said.
He commended the Amazon Energy for employing 12 of the graduates and appealed to the NOAC and Amazon to keep tract of the graduating trainees in order to give them the first consideration whenever there is chances for employment.

He also enjoined the grandaunts to be good ambassadors of the NCDMB “as we release you not just into the labour market but to the favoured market with endless opportunities.”
The General Manager, Capacity Building Division of NCDMB, Dr. Ama Ikuru, said board, “is insisting on competent based training, which is the skill and ability required to do certain works. I will want you (grandaunts) to remain competent so that when we are asked to nominate competent people in your area of study you will be on our list.”
Similarly, the General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, NAOC, Mr. Tajudeen Adigun, said NOAC has demonstrated and would continue to demonstrate its commitment to the issue of local capacity building in Nigeria oil and gas sector.

According to the Group Chief Executive Officer of Amazon Energy, Mr. Olayinka Oluwatimehin, the graduation ceremony was a landmark that underscored the company’s commitment to Nigerian content and the development of the country’s oil and gas industry in general.

“We remain committed to develop our people and create an environment where people can thrive and excel at what they do,” he said, adding that the Amazon Energy also worked with NAOC to reduce gas flaring in NAOC’s Kwale facility.

One of the grandaunts, Blessing Amakemie, said that the training in civil engineering she received had bequeathed on her the skill to design with AutoCAD and the capacity to work as project engineer, which she would use for the benefit of the industry and her personal development.

Related Articles