Environment
Group Backs Nigerian Content Dev Board’s Reforms
Transparency in Petroleum Exploration and Development Initiative (TIPEDI) has endorsed ongoing reforms at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Secretary of TIPEDI, Dr Michael Amaegberi, made this known in a statement issued in Yenagoa, Thursday.
TIPEDI is a Non-Governmental Organisation monitoring operations in the nation’s oil and gas industry,
Amaegberi said that the reforms would institutionalise competency assessment of staff for efficiency and enhanced service delivery in the operations of the NCDMB and by implication the oil and gas sector.
He said that the current management led by the Executive Secretary, Mr Simbi Wabote, had adopted best practices by transforming the human resource evaluation system to make it performance driven by the innovation.
He hoped that at the end of the process, a more efficient regulatory and content development organisation that could meet high expectations of key players in the oil and gas sector would be built.
He said the engagement of KPMG to conduct the review of human resource processes, and competency test, indicated a desire to raise the quality of service of the board.
“Some of the ongoing reforms in NCDMB, including welfare issues were inherited by Mr Wabote and it is instructive to note that he has not shied away from undertaking the various exercises that are necessary to restore sanity in the work environment.
“The move is in line with the change agenda of the Buhari administration and the public service rules.
“The review of organisational structure, we understand will help define clearly, departments and units and requirement for officers to occupy various positions.
“The board will determine where additional manpower will be needed as the process will encourage promotion of staff and the employment of new ones to fill vacant positions after the board would have identified where there are capacity deficiencies,” he said.
Amaegberi commended all staff and particularly top management officers for submitting themselves to the recently completed competency test to identify their competency profile based on knowledge, skills, ability and attitude required to function at the optimum level.
He observed that the ongoing performance, skills and competence study by KPMG was a departure from past practices where staff were arbitrarily sent for all manner of trainings whether relevant to their work or not.
He urged the management to sustain the ongoing conduct of staff verification, which was started before the appointment of Wabote to rid the board of those whose employment process did not follow established procedure.
According to Amaegberi, the verification will also fish out those with possible fake certificates in a process that must be seen to be fair and transparent, devoid of victimisation or high handedness.
He expressed delight that many staff actually welcomed the ongoing reforms in NCDMB because they believe it would enhance staff performance and improve overall quality of activities of the board.
The NGO said that its investigations showed that some workers who were opposed to the ongoing reforms were doing so because they were fed with wrong information on the intentions of the management.
“Our interaction with NCDMB management reveals that the exercise will not lead to the dismissal of any staff or in any way deny anyone of their promotion as long as their employment process as well as qualifications are in order,” he said.
Amaegberi advised the NCDMB management to ensure regular interaction with staff and open different channels of communication to intimate the in-house union of proposed policies and changes in the organisation.
The group noted that sensitising the workforce on the ongoing innovations would foster harmonious relationship between management and workers at all times.
The Ministry of Environment on Thursday in Abuja, advanced its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, validating a comprehensive plan aimed at tackling climate-related challenges in the country.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Alhaji Mahmud Kambari, said this at the Stakeholders Consultative Workshop on the Development of the concept notes to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for NAP in Nigeria.
Kambari, who was represented by Mrs Victoria Pwol, the Deputy Director in the Department of Climate Change (DCC) in the ministry, said that the workshop is a collective resolve to confront the realities of climate change with purpose, strategy, and coordinated action.
“Over the past years, the Federal Government of Nigeria, with crucial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has made significant progress in advancing the NAP process.
“As a nation, we stand at a critical juncture where climate risks ranging from extreme weather events to environmental degradation continues to threaten our socio-economic stability, food systems, public health, infrastructure, and national development aspirations.
“Through extensive technical work, we have completed a Climate Risk Assessment across all geopolitical and agro-ecological zones, developed an Economic Appraisal, an Adaptation Finance Strategy, and a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.”
Kambari said that these foundational elements now guide Nigeria to identify priority adaptation needs and investment opportunities.
“Let me mention that we are at the tail end of this NAP Formulation Process and looking forward to the implementation phase.
“This workshop therefore serves as a strategic purpose to harmonise perspectives across key MDAs; refine project ideas into strong, evidence-based concept notes.
“It will ensure that proposed interventions align with national priorities and the investment criteria of the GCF and position Nigeria to competitively access the resources required to strengthen resilience across vulnerable sectors,” he said.
Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, the Director DCC in the Ministry said that the engagement would enhance achievements by collaboratively developing bankable, climate-resilient concept notes that align with national priorities and meet the GCF’s investment requirements.
Abiola-Awe who was represented by Dr Jonah Barde in the Ministry said that the workshop represented an important step in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen climate resilience.
She added that the workshop would advance sustainable development, and mobilise the climate finance needed to safeguard Nigeria’s communities, ecosystems, and economy from the growing impacts of climate change.
Effective communication, transparency, and science-based risk assessments are the cornerstones of Nigeria’s approach to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Mr Bello Bwari, the Director-General, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), gave the assurance during a media interaction in Abuja on Friday.
“Where there is communication, you reduce conflict. Effective communication is key, effective engagement with stakeholders is paramount and key to making Nigeria better.
Bwari said anti GMO’s critics keep participants and practitioners on their toes.
“We value them and we expect that their criticisms, suggestions and recommendations will make our operations in the entire spectrum better.
“Where we are not doing so well, we will hear from them, where we can advance explanations, we will advance explanations. Where they are not doing well, we will tell them. We will not run away from doing that.
“But I want to assure you that we are bold enough to face anybody who is not fact-based,” he said.
He reassured that sometime before the end of the second quarter of 2026 there would be a retreat where all stakeholders would be invited.
“And also, the impact we are bringing is going to be measurable by the end of 2026. And going forward, what we do by the end of 2026 will form the basis of our five-year plan.
“There’s a five-year plan which will start at the end of 2026. So, I enjoin the media to please report what you know as a matter of fact, not as a matter of opinion.
“We all have different opinions, but some of our opinions are not facts. From the quality of what I see on papers, reportage, I think largely I’m impressed with what the press is doing in Nigeria so far,” he said.
Bwari stated that Nigerians deserved to understand what NBMA regulates, why they regulate it, and how decisions were made.
“Part of my focus going forward will be strengthening engagement with the media, researchers, policymakers, and the public because regulation works best when it is understood.
“We are not promoters of any technology, and we are not opponents of innovation. We are regulators.
“But at its core, biosafety is about prevention, caution, and preparedness. It is about ensuring that innovation does not outpace safety, and that national development never compromises public health or environmental integrity,” he said.
He promised to uphold the law without fear or favour, communicate more clearly with the public and ensure that every regulatory decision was transparent, evidence-based, and accountable
“NBMA is not an advocacy agency. Our duty is to assess risks, enforce safeguards, and ensure compliance with national and international biosafety standards.I also want to emphasise that public trust matters.
He further urged the media to help Nigerians understand biosafety and biosecurity in a better way.
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