The Nigerian Content policy being implemented in the ongoing Train 7 of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project has saved the country a whopping $ 2 billion by patronising Nigerian firms.
Mr Simbi Wabote, Executive Secretary
of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) stated this on
Friday shortly after receiving the award of African Local Content Icon in
Yenagoa.
Wabote, who dismissed the assertion
that the Nigerian Content Policy was costly as a ploy by foreign interests who
do not wish the country to develop described the position as a blackmail as
experience has shown that the policy was more cost effective for oil firms.
"The Nigerian Content Policy
saves cost, from the projects that the NCDMB have supervised, it is clear that
it is better for the International Operating Companies in Nigeria, but foreign
interests at global levels erroneously say that local content is expensive.
"Before the move to increase the
participation of Nigerians in the oil and gas sector, the participation was at
about three per cent and previous administrations relied mostly on taxes and
revenue and lost sight of the opportunities for Nigerians to get involved in
the sector.
"From the oil sector where I am
coming from, it is five times more expensive to pay an expatriate than a
Nigerian, so how can they say that local content is more expensive ?
" On the Train 7 project if you
look at the cost provided by foreign companies, you have a wide gap of about $
2 billion from the quotations of the lowest submitted by foreign firms and the
highest from Nigerian companies, so local content is better as we ensure that
quality is not compromised.
"From 2010 till now, we have
come a long way, for instance NLNG had 90 per cent of the workforce as
expatriates, but today 90 per cent of the workers are Nigerians and today you
have Nigerians occupying top positions in foreign oil firms.
"I am thankful to President
Muhamadu Buhari who gave me the opportunity to practice local content in the public
sector by appointing me in 2016 and reappointing me in 2020," Wabote said.
On the African Local Content Icon
Award bestowed on him, Wabote said that it came to him as a 'pleasant surprise'
adding that the ideals of the African Leadership Magazine justified his
decision to accept the award.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Editor
of African Leadership Magazine, Mr Kingsley Okeke, noted that the process
leading to the selection was transparent and independently conducted with
nominations across the African continent.
"We found in the accomplishment
and achievements the Executive Secretary of the NCDM, a worthy character we
must should encourage and export to the rest of Africa.
"Our focus at the magazine is to
spotlight on the positive developments in African continent and change the
narrative and stereotype by western media," he said.
The African Local Content Icon Award
was presented by Mrs Laura Hall, President-Elect of the National Black Caucus
of United States Congressmen at the headquarters of the NCDMB in Yenagoa.
Hall said that the blacks in the
United States who the Black Caucus represent also has a similar challenge with
building local capacity to compete with their white counterparts in executing
contracts in the United States.
She said the caucus would collaborate
and share ideas with the NCDMB on ways to increase the capacities of blacks in
the United States.
The Chairman of the NCDMB branch of
Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association , Mr Bright Amatoru
applauded the leadership style of Wabote which has ensured industrial harmony
at the work.
Female staff, at the NCDMB
represented by Mrs Kadejat Jakeme noted that Wabote has made the oil sector
gender sensitive with the $400 million fund for female entrepreneurs in the oil
and gas sector.
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