NCDMB is committed to communities in supply chain-Executive Secretary
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has identified the integration of host communities into the oil and gas supply chain as one of the critical enablers of its strategic goal of achieving 70 per cent Nigerian Content by 2027.
The Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Ogbe, disclosed this in Port Harcourt at a one day workshop with the theme, “The Role of the Media in Maintaining the Tempo of Nigerian Content Implementation.”
Represented by the General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, Barr. Esueme Dan Kikile, the Executive Secretary also revealed that the Board would implement the Back-to-the-Creeks Initiative designed to deepen the contributions of the oil and gas industry.
These, according to him, include support of basic education, making affordable finance accessible to community contractors and equipping youths with relevant industry skills among other support that would benefit the local economy.
He pointed out that the Board has reviewed upwards its Community Contracting Financing Scheme to enable contractors in host communities to secure and execute reasonable contracts in the oil and gas industry.
“The single obligor has now been raised from N20 million to N100 million which, as the Board explained, “gives local contractors more opportunities to access higher figures.
“These measures, among others, are intended to minimise or completely eliminate conflicts, and thus create a peaceful and harmonious operating environment for oil and gas companies.”
He challenged journalists and other media stakeholders to deploy their skills in interrogation of reports on Nigerian Content performance in the oil and gas industry, so as to make the facts behind the resounding success in in-country value addition known to citizens.
According to Ogbe, “We expect the media to interrogate these policy initiatives and planned interventions and also follow up and ensure that NCDMB is able to accomplish these, because it will help our communities; it will help our young people.”
The workshop also had three paper presentations and two sessions of panel discussion.
Media practitioners and stakeholders from over 90 media organisations attended the workshop.
Key Management staff at the workshop included Mr. James Eyetigha, Zonal Coordinator, Delta and Edo States and Dr. Emma Ohanere, Zonal Coordinator, Abia and Imo States.
