Saboteurs threatening local content development, says NCDMB

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) yesterday said there was need for the country to protect development of local content as some players are currently sabotaging government efforts.

Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, who stated this in Abuja at the Nigerian content seminar to kick-start the Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) conference & exhibition, said sabotage attempts were being reported to undermine government resolve to boost indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector.

“The journey is not easy, there are so many forces you have to contend with. We have seen all manner of tactics to tell you why things will not work in Nigeria.

But we believe in our tenacity. We believe in our future strategy and luckily for us, most of us are industry player so we understand how the industry works.

“I must tell you, all forms of sabotage have been brought against the board on reasons why we must not go beyond certain percentage. But we are standing on our ground and we ensure that local content is protected at all cost,” he said.

He said the board would ensure that Nigerian content is protected at all costs.

Wabote, who stated that the board is fast-tracking the establishment of five oil and gas parks across the country to boost development of the nation’s oil and gas sector, said: “We have commenced site development works on two of the parks in Bayelsa and Cross River states.

Architectural and detailed engineering design works are ongoing for the parks in the Akwa Ibom and Imo states. Land acquisition is in progress for the ones in Delta and Edo states.”

According to him, the board would facilitate the establishment of similar parks in other geo-political zones of the country.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, who stated that the board had signed service level agreements with Nigeria LNG Limited, and OPTS, said the third agreement is being jointly developed with Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG) and will be signed off shortly.”

He disclosed that the board was working on the promotion of domestic utilisation of gas and the establishment of modular refineries.

He said the board had received about five new applications for the development of new refineries.

Meanwhile, Vice President, Production CWC Group Limited, organisers of the event, Wemimo Oyelana, who also spoke at the seminar, stressed the need for content development in the country.

Oyelana, who noted that there are series of opportunities for the country in the oil and gas sector, said the conference would continue to focus on content development.