NDDC Tasks Stakeholders On Local Content

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Chibuzor  Ugwoha has challenged stakeholders in the region, particularly the oil and gas sector  to join hands with the commission in actualising the Federal Government local content policy.

Mr. Ugwoha, who gave the charge at the flag off of the NDDC Petroleum Engineering/Drilling Graduate Training  Programme for indigenes  of the region said the policy which is fully backed by law demands that considerable effort be made on the part of stakeholders to ensure the utilization of Nigeria’s human and material  resources  and services.

The NDDC boss therefore appealed to oil companies to take serious interest in the programme considering the high calibre of the graduates  and the expertise of the expatriate trainers involved.

He further observed that the Niger Delta region has over the years fallen short of skills in the areas of critical manpower needed in the oil and gas industry, noting that one of the commission’s immediate response to the problem is the implementation and empowerment  programme of the NDDC.

The manging director disclsoed that the trainees shall, among others, be equipped with fundamentals of oil and gas exploitation, fundamentals of well site saftey, both offshore and onshore, basics of hydrocarbon, well-logging with special emphasis in abnormal pressure evaluation.

Chairman of Pauliza/Trans Log Joint Venture, NDDC partners on the programme, Col Paul Edo Obi (rtd) assured that there were abundant employment opportunities for the trainees in the oil and gas sector.

He said considering the standard of the training, the engineering background of the trainees and above all the expertise of the trainers, there is every reason to believe that automotive employment in the oil industry awaits the trainees.

Chris Oluoh