As part of an integrated strategy to boost Nigerian content development in the oil and gas industry, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has invested more than N150billion (about $1billion) on the procurement of needed labour, materials and services in-country for the development of the multibillion-dollar Gbaran Ubie Integrated Oil and Gas Project in Bayelsa State.

This is a cumulative value of over 250 separate subcontracts awarded to Nigerian companies to provide services for the speedy completion of one of the largest hydrocarbons development projects in the Niger Delta, which has also empowered more than 8,050 local community people in various skills.

Disclosing this during a guarded visit of Bayelsa-based senior journalists to the facility, recently, Project Manager, Ikechukwu Elechi, said that as a result of the company’s desire to encourage indigenous participation in the operations of the critical  industry, Nigerian companies were given contracts to fabricate and supply 50 per cent of all pressure vessels.

The project manager pointed out that 100 senior staff of local companies were trained on HSE, financial management, contract management and electrical works, just as more than 200 others were trained on scaffolding, welding, pipe fitting, and cable pulling, adding that three local non-governmental organizations and over 550 workers were now executing community development projects and off site civil work within the project area.

This adds to the employment of 6,000 Nigerians at peak period of activities through main contractors and subcontractors, the engagement of Nigerians who constitute over 90 per cent workforce, with more than 1,500 from local communities, and the creation of estimated 300 to 500 jobs at full operational capacity.

Elechi noted that the Gbaran Ubie facility has achieved more milestones in social performance and community development with the completion of two classroom school blocks, 12 school laboratory upgrades, one teachers’ quarters to accommodate 20 people as well as 80 university and 40 secondary scholarships to host communities.

According to him, the project has concluded arrangements to partner Bayelsa State Electricity Board on power supply to the state’s independent power station at Imiringi, while executing nine electricity supply and distribution projects with four already energized in host communities, in addition to provision of ongoing back-up electrification for two neighbouring communities and design of power projects for 14 other communities.

SPDC, he stated has completed and handed over 41 neighbourhood water schemes while progressing steadily on design of integrated water scheme for nine Gbaran communities.

Elechi told the journalists that as part of its commitment to the implementation of the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) entered into with host communities, SPDC has also completed 5km of internal roads, 30km of mutually beneficial and other roads plus two bridges, as well as three civic centres, nine town halls, two guest houses and 12 apartment blocks.

The Tide learnt that the company has further completed training for 22 traditional birth attendants, 80 village health system workers, built two health centres, and conducted school de-worming exercises, HIV/AIDS campaigns, and blood pressure monitoring for project workforce.

It was gathered that since 2007 when the project began, SPDC has encouraged the establishment of two local scaffolding companies, trained 40 youths as pipeline welders, 200 as structural welders and fitters, 100 on enterprise development, 60 community leaders on conflict management, with 577 benefiting from first round of micro-credit revolving loans in 2008.  

Nelson Chukwudi