Dr. Ginah O. Ginah, General Manager, Corporate Communications & Zonal Coordinator, NCDMB
…NCDMB has deepening the participation of Nigeria through the facet of the oil and gas value chain
…Board will continue to sustain its economic supply strategy using technology
…Embarked on capacity building and local content development
-By Felix Douglas
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) came into existence ten years ago to promote local content in the country in terms of development and improving in-country capacity.
Since its creation, the media has played a significant role in shaping the agenda of local content implementation in Nigeria. From the long list of its achievements within these ten years, the idea of local content has come to stay especially in the oil and gas industry. NCDMB has sustain the momentum by growing its implementation in deepening the participation of Nigeria through the facet of the oil and gas value chain.
Speaking recently at a media stakeholder meeting which the Board organised, Manager, Corporate Communications of NCDMB, Barrister Naboth Onyesoh, revealed that the media workshop is, “Sustaining Nigerian Content amidst Covid-19 pandemic” and what role should the media play.
“Everyone of us understands how destructive Covid-19 pandemic has been to all form of businesses all over the world. But we are happy despite all these destructive effects, we did not stop oil production, we did not also stop our work in driving local content implementation, Onyesoh added.”
The NCDMB spokesman said, there are bulk of achievements the Board recorded within this year and they are regarded as milestones. “NCDMB will continue to sustain its business sustainability and economic supply strategy using technology.” The Board management and its top echelon did not allow Covid-19 to disturb its operations that is why the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) final business decision got clearance from the Nigerian Content Board to proceed having fulfilled all Nigerian Content requirements within the same period.
Onyesoh submitted that the huge potentials that NLNG EPC contract holds for Nigeria in terms of job creation is enormous. Other achievements recorded include ability to complete NCDMB 17 storey edifice in Yenegoa and subsequently commissioned by the President of Nigeria.
In his words, “why people are complaining and groaning about Covid-19, we were able to push our partners until we have completed the construction of modular refinery some few weeks ago making it possible for us to turn the concept of modular refinery and make it a concrete reality. These are more and many achievements that we have recorded at the Board in this difficult year.”
Onyesoh made reference to a statement credited to Director of Finance and Personnel Management, NCDMB, Mr. Isaac Yalah, that the Board supports vendor development in the oil and gas industry. The support is known as Nigeria Content Intervention Fund where the Board sets aside $200 million to grow capacity and efficiency of local supply chain within the Covid-19 period to support economic survival and business continuity. The Board in its magnanimity enlarged the intervention fund to $300 million which alone is another big feat and achievement to show its noble generosity to the industry under its watch.
According to the NCDMB publicist, “these achievements can go unnoticed without the media and that is why we feel that for us to gain momentum and even feasibility, we need to carry our media stakeholders along so this workshop essentially is an opportunity for us to build on our healthy relationship with the media. Also, present a platform to hear some of the things that the Board has done or has been doing in the last ten years and what we are doing and what the media can do to support this national economic agenda of local content implementation.”
Giving his presentation on Community Content Guideline-origin and Relevance for Nigerian Content Implementation, General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination of NCDMB, Dr. Ginah O. Ginah, spoke on how the Board has developed in adopting the guideline to ensure that it supports and grows the communities as part of the content nationally.
This is a strategy to create impressive growth and foster peaceful co-existence between host communities and operating companies.
He pointed out that host communities in NCDMB guideline include impacted communities as well as other communities for offshore operations. This guideline according Dr. Ginah, gives hope because it refers to activity for oil and gas host communities to fixed percentages to ensure tracking of compliance and growth of communities’ content.
As Nigeria is growing, the Board is also growing community content. NCDMB is keen to watch every Nigerian local content plan that does not have Nigerian community content plan will not receive approval of the Board. This is how the Board monitors local content compliance.
He emphasised on the general Nigeria content and what NCDMB has been doing for Nigeria including the strategy the Board has deployed to grow community content especially in the oil and gas host or oil-bearing communities.
On the aspect of technical capacity development, the General Manager, Capacity Building, Dr. Amah Ikuru, told the media some of the action that the Board has embarked upon to support its growth trajectory to 70% Nigerian content achievement by 2027.
Dr. Ikuru expatiated all the achievements in capacity development that the Board had done. He said NCDMB has trained 100 engineers in smart electrical in collaboration with Lagos electrical academy and 60% of the graduates from that training were employed. Also, 40 persons were trained on marine and provided opportunity for sea time experience.
He added that the Board will continue to support local content development and local technological solution development as well as science & technology innovation challenge which brings together young people who are technically inclined to solve problems through research.
Since it is a capacity building workshop, there is need to strengthen existing capacity as media practitioners were given tips on how to grow capacities.
Professor GB Okon, of Mass Communication Department, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, taught journalists that writing is fundamental in communication, it defines literacy with access to present trend.
The erudite Professor told the media that speaking good English is not a proven fact that one is educated or have mastery of the language. It is written words that show one’s proficiency that he is educated.
Professor Okon enjoined the fourth estate of the realm to pay attention to details and they should not be lazy. A good writer is respected and only good writers rule the world through what they write.
Journalist were trained on the role of media in public policy training in Nigerian content as a case study.
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