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NCDMB Charges Host Community Youths On Relevant Skills Development … As Promoters Handover Oloibiri Oil Museum
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatshola-Ogbe, has advised youths of Otuabagi Community, host of the proposed Oloibiri Oil Museum and Research Centre (OMPRC), in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, to train in diverse skills to enable them gain employment opportunities when the project is completed.
He gave the charge in the community recently during the hand over of the project’s site by its promoters to the contracting firm, Messer’s Julius Berger Plc.
A statement by the Corporate Communications Directorate of the Board said the event marked the completion of formalities and alignment of all key stakeholders towards ensuring that the project proceed without hitches at the exact location where oil production began in Nigeria in 1957.
The statement added that elated at the development, the NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, who doubles as the Project lead, said the multi-billion naira project consisting of world-class Oil and Gas Museum Centre and a Research Testing Centre, was in fulfilment of the expressed desire of the project promoters to place the host community and location of the Oloibiri Oil Well one on the world map.
“The tradition worldwide has been to immortalize the beginnings of the oil and gas industry by citing projects of significant socio-economic worth in communities where exploitation and production of petroleum began.
“The project promoters, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Shell Petroleum Development Company (now Renaissance Africa Energy Limited), and the Bayelsa State Government, believe that the case of Nigeria did not have to be different.
“Museums, research centres and other tourist attractions are distinctive features that give deserved prominence and material benefits to such communities were oil and gas was first struck”, he said.
Ogbe cited Pennsylvania, United States of America, which is reputed to be the birthplace of the American oil industry, and a number of other cities across the world as typical examples of were similar projects were sited.
Represented by the Board’s Director of Corporate Services, Alhaji Abdulmalik Halilu, Eng. Ogbe informed the community that history was in the making as Julius Berger moves to the 55.05-hectare project site to commence construction.
He assured them that a project management team has been constituted to ensure that timelines and other expectations were strictly adhered to by the construction giant.
The NCDMB Executive Secretary disclosed that a governance structure has already been drawn up for the Museum Centre for purposes of efficient and effective management, and that the community would be given a sense of belonging at all times.
“Prepare to take advantage of training programmes to be provided in diverse skill sets to be able to secure employment in the facility”, the NCDMB boss reiterated.
He commended the Otuabagi Community, particularly its stakeholder Committee led by Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Professor Teddy Adias, for the remarkable maturity and comportment exhibited during earlier disputes relating to the project location.
In his remarks, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Bayelsa State, Hon. Peter Akpe, who represented the Bayelsa State Government, said the handover ceremony signaled the transition from drawing board to action and that a project that had been so long in the pipeline is finally coming to fruition.
He commended the NCDMB, other promoters, amd the community’s Stakeholder Committee for their commitment thus far.
In his remarks, a representative of the contracting firm, and Deputy Regional Manager, South and East, Julius Berger Plc, Mr. Rimon Marisho, expressed appreciation to the NCDMB, the State Government and the Otuabagi Community for all they have done to bring the plans for the project to execution phase.
He described the handover ceremony as “a perfect beginning”, while assuring that the firm is in the site for the reason of development.
In their goodwill messages, President, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Benjamin Okaba, and the President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri, pledged their maximum support for the project and assured safe environment for the construction work.
Meanwhile, earlier in a welcome address, the Chairman of the community’s Stakeholder Committee, Professor Adias, expressed appreciation to the NCDMB, PTDF, Shell and Bayelsa State Government for their efforts in actualizing the project, which has been on the drawing board since 1981 in the administration of then President Shehu Shagari.
The handover of the project site to Julius Berger Plc was a momentous event in the history of the Otuabagi Community, which has long yearned for due recognition and development projects as the birthplace of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The Tide gathered that the project promoters: the PTDF, NCDMB, Shell (now Renaissance Africa), and the Bayelsa State Government has a contribution ratio of 40:30:20:10, respectively.
A statement from the NCDMB further noted that key features of the project concept include an imposing Oil and Gas Museum, within which is a display of geological formations, platforms, early equipment and tools marking successive stages in the evolution of oil and gas operations in Nigeria, an interactive screen for digital engagement with professionals, students, tourists and historians across the globe in search of knowledge.
The Research Testing Centre, which is the second arm of the complex, according to the NCDMB, will have an open field around one of the abandoned wells, where field trials of prototypes of oil- and gas-related indigenous research will be conducted, in fulfilment of the requirement for product acceptance in industrial application.
It will also provide access to university students in oil- and gas-related disciplines to potentially appreciate an active oilfield.
Other NCDMB personnel at the event were the General Manager, Human Capaital Development, Mr. Esueme Dan Kikile; General Manager, Midstream Monitoring, Mr. Silas Ajimijaye; and General Manager, Facility and Logistics Division, Mr. Suleman Ozhimede.
The Bayelsa State Government team also included Commissioner for Lands, Mr. Perepuighe Biewari; Technical Adviser to the State Governor on Treasury, Revenue and Accounts, Mr. Timipre Seipulo; and Director General, Bayelsa Investment Promotion Agency (BIPA), Ms. Patience Abah.
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Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu has said that country is participating in the ongoing 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) with a mission to unlock over $1billion in trade and investment opportunities.
Tinunu, qho wrote on his X handle on Wednesday, said Nigeria’s engagement at the summit, themed “Co-create innovative solutions with Africa”, was anchored on green innovation, industrial growth, and youth empowerment.
“Our participation aims to unlock $1Billion+ in trade & investment, drive green innovation & industrial growth, expand opportunities for our youth, and position Nigeria as the heart and gateway to West Africa’s vast market”, he stated.
Describing the conference as a launchpad for lasting development and global partnership, Tinubu noted that Nigeria’s push was built on “technology, talent and trust.”
He added that Nigeria will continue to play a leadership role on the continent, declaring that: “Nigeria will lead, and Africa will rise.”
Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has said the state is committed to diversification of its economy by promoting food security, job and wealth creation through revolutionization of the agricultural sector.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo stated this during his presentation at a panel discussion in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, during a week-long agricultural tour of the State’s delegation to the East African nation, saying Government was poised to among other approaches, aggressively pursue conservation agriculture and regenerative farming to boost food production in the state.
A statement from the Senior Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, quoted him as saying that the delegation comprised top government functionaries, including chairmen of the eight Local Government Areas of the state.
The Deputy Governor explained that the study tour was aimed at strengthening knowledge in modern agricultural practices such as mechanization and climate-smart food production technologies.
Other officials who participated in the discussions, according to the Media Aide of the Deputy Governor include, the Chief Executive of Rwanda Cooperation, Ms. Patricie Uwase, and the Vice Chancellor of the Rwandan Institute for Conservative Agriculture (RICA), Dr. Olusegun Yerokun.
Sharing his experience from the study tour, the State’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Bekes Sese, described the choice of Rwanda as very appropriate and rewarding as the east African country share a lot of similarities with Nigeria in terms of climate and other environmental conditions.
Prof. Sese, who gave thumbs up to Rwanda for its clean environment and current level of agricultural production, said the same could be replicated in Nigeria, especially in Bayelsa, with proper organization and attitudinal behaviour, noting also that the tour has exposed the delegation to field observation of soil erosion control trials, technical demonstration on artificial insemination in pigs, water-use efficiency and mechanization in crop production.
While encouraging Bayelsans to embrace farming and self-reliance, the Agric commissioner informed that the Governor Douye Diri-led administration was making conscious efforts to change the state agricultural trajectory for good.
“We visited the Rwandan Institute for Conservation Agriculture, and associated facilities located at the Bugesera District, Eastern Province of Rwanda.
“We had the privilege to have field observation of erosion control trials, biosecurity on livestock production, and climate-smart irrigation technologies, with a visit to the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) facility that converts organic waste into high-protein livestock feed and fertilizer.
“I believe the beautiful things including the clean environment in Rwanda can be replicated here in Nigeria, even in Bayelsa with proper organization and the right attitude”, the Commissioner said.
Other members of the State delegation were the Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Governor’s Office, Comrade Gowon Toruyouyei; the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Thompson Amule, his Marine and Blue Economy counterpart, Dr. Faith Izibenua Zibbs-Godwin, heads of Agriculture department in the eight Local Government Areas of the State, a Director from the State Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and Mr. Ebiuwou Abeki.
The Tide learnt that recently the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, had charged chairmen of the eight Local Government Areas to key into his administration’s effort to boost agriculture by investing in crops where their areas have comparative advantage to ensure food security and job creation.
The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Pius Akutah, has called for inter-agency and multi-sectoral collaborations to combat the rising incidents of human trafficking and stowaways in the nation’s marine and blue economy sector.
Akutah, who made the call, Tuesday, in his office in Abuja, while receiving the leadership of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the MMS WoFHoF Initiative, who were on a courtesy visit to explore collaboration to combat human trafficking by sea, noted that stowaway is a veritable means of transporting victims of human trafficking to other countries.
He described the menace as transnational organised crime that accounts for a global loss of over $100m annually, adding that the crime started growing in Africa in the last 10 years, taking a dangerous form.
The visit, which was part of the means of rallying relevant agencies, ministries, and stakeholders in the marine and blue economy sector, was facilitated by the MMS WoFHoF Initiative to help combat the menace of human trafficking by sea and gender-based violence.
He stated that he had handled human trafficking cases as a prosecutor for the nation in the past, affirming that the NAPTIP Act of 2003 derived its source from the Transnational Organised Crime Convention 2000, to which Nigeria is a signatory.
According to him, “The menace has become something we should all join hands together to combat because it leads to many criminal activities. The maritime sector is not left out of this; stowaway is a veritable means of transporting victims to other countries.
“You know, before now, they used land transport. Now, stowaways have become a major means of transporting these people, victims, to where they are needed.”
He added that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, had spoken eloquently and in strong terms against sexual harassment within the sector, especially onboard ships.
“This is one issue that the Minister will take very seriously. As the port economic regulatory agency in the sector, we are concerned about the port economy, and these are criminal activities that also destroy the economy of the port.
“So, it is also within our mandate to go into this partnership with NAPTIP and your partnering NGO-MMS WoFHoF, and we are committed to that partnership going forward”, Akutah stated.
He explained that within the port sector, many other agencies are very important in this struggle.
Earlier, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, who described the NSC as a critical partner, disclosed that due to the intense operational heat on traffickers on the land borders by operatives of NAPTIP, some of the traffickers have now resorted to using the waterways to traffic their victims.
“The shipping, ports, and logistics sectors can play a pivotal role in early detection, prevention, and reporting of trafficking activities, making collaboration between NAPTIP and NSC not only strategic but essential”, she said.
Bello added that the agency is proposing to deepen engagement with the maritime sector in the fight against human trafficking, especially in sensitisation for the identification of potential trafficking cases along the waterways and timely reporting to relevant authorities.
She said, “We propose a collaboration targeting port workers, shipping agents, freight forwarders, crew members, and other maritime stakeholders to identify and report suspected trafficking activities using NSC’s outreach structures, the Nigerian Port Process Manual platforms, and Port Standing Task Team channels to integrate anti-trafficking awareness.”
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