The lawmaker representing the Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ede Dafinone, in collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has unveiled a three-week capacity building programme on rigging and scaffolding for youths in the Senatorial District.

Reports say that the training is designed to equip youths with practical technical skills for employment in the oil and gas and construction sectors, with emphasis on employability, safety, competence and self reliance.

In attendance at the flag-off ceremony  this week, at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Hall, Effurun, were stakeholders, dignitaries, and political representatives, among others.

Dafinone, represented by his Chief of Staff, Adelabu Bodjor, said the initiative reflects a deliberate political investment in human capital development across Delta Central.

He explained that the training focuses on rigging and scaffolding, noting that “both are essential technical competencies required in industrial operations, construction projects, and oil and gas installations”.

Bodjor added, “The programme is intended to reduce dependency among youths by providing job-ready skills capable of supporting long-term economic opportunities and self-sufficiency. The initiative aligns with Senator Dafinone’s broader development agenda, which prioritises practical skill acquisition as a pathway to sustainable empowerment.”

Also addressing the participants, the NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by Mr. Teddy Bai, commended Dafinone for sponsoring the programme, describing it as “a timely response to critical manpower gaps in the industry”.

Bai explained that rigging and scaffolding remain safety-sensitive skills required across fabrication yards, offshore platforms, and construction sites, stressing that the programme bridges the gap between certification and practical competence.

He also charged the training consultant, OROH Contractors Limited, to maintain strict standards of professionalism, safety, and discipline, while urging participants to remain committed, focused, and disciplined throughout the exercise.

The Senate Liaison Officer for Sapele Local Government Area, Chief Patrick Akamuvba, , described the programme as a major step in strengthening human capital development in Delta Central.

Akamuvba said scaffolding and rigging skills are in high demand across residential, commercial, and industrial construction projects, noting that the training offers real employment opportunities for beneficiaries

He urged participants to prioritise knowledge and certification over short-term material expectations, stressing that discipline and seriousness would determine their long-term success.

He also cautioned youths against social vices and distractions, advising them to remain focused to maximise the opportunities provided by the programme.

Fresh industrial unrest may be brewing in the oil and gas sector following allegations that the management of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is forcing senior employees into premature retirement under controversial Voluntary Exit Scheme (VES) and Accelerated Exit Scheme (AES) policies.

Industry insiders and aggrieved staff accused the management of using the exercise to edge out experienced workers and create vacancies for loyalists and cronies, warning that the development could trigger a major crisis capable of undermining ongoing reforms in the petroleum sector.

The workers alleged that many of those marked for retirement had no record of misconduct or disciplinary infractions throughout their years of service in the former NNPC and the current NNPCL structure.

According to them, affected employees, some with four to five years left before statutory retirement, are allegedly being pressured to accept severance packages amounting to about 20 per cent of their salaries and entitlements for their remaining years of service.

But the NNPCL dismissed the allegations as false, misleading and not reflective of ongoing workforce transitions.

It said the AES and VES were part of a broader business transformation aimed at positioning NNPC Limited as a more agile, commercially focused, and globally competitive energy company, arguing that workforce renewal and succession planning were normal elements of corporate transformation across global organisations.

But sources within the company claimed the exercise was being carried out simultaneously with promotion interviews allegedly designed to favour associates of top management officials.

“The overall objective is to push these categories of staff out and create vacancies for cronies. These are hardworking and dedicated professionals with years of institutional experience being sacrificed to cover management inefficiencies,” a senior industry source alleged.

The development, they warned, contradicted the spirit of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which was introduced partly to strengthen efficiency, deepen investments and create employment opportunities in the oil and gas industry rather than trigger mass job losses.

The controversy is coming amid mounting concerns over Nigeria’s inability to meet crude oil production targets despite rising global oil prices occasioned by tensions in the Middle East, particularly the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Nigeria’s 2026 budget is benchmarked on crude oil production of about 1.84 million barrels per day (bpd), but actual output has reportedly hovered around 1.46 million bpd, significantly below both budget expectations and the country’s Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota.

Industry stakeholders argued that the persistent shortfall has denied Nigeria the opportunity to fully benefit from favourable global oil market conditions currently boosting revenues for several oil-producing nations.

They also accused the current NNPCL leadership of attempting to create what they described as a “false impression” of operational efficiency and financial health ahead of a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO).

According to the sources, the planned workforce reduction was allegedly intended to portray the national oil company as leaner and commercially viable while shielding top officials from scrutiny over declining production performance.

They warned that unless the Federal Government intervened urgently, organised labour within the oil and gas sector might mobilise against the policy, potentially disrupting operations and threatening broader reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

They also accused the current NNPCL leadership of attempting to create what they described as a “false impression” of operational efficiency and financial health ahead of a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO).

According to the sources, the planned workforce reduction was allegedly intended to portray the national oil company as leaner and commercially viable while shielding top officials from scrutiny over declining production performance.

They warned that unless the Federal Government intervened urgently, organised labour within the oil and gas sector might mobilise against the policy, potentially disrupting operations and threatening broader reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“The schemes are not designed as punitive measures, nor are they politically motivated.

“Eligible employees are being engaged directly and provided with clear information on the terms of the programme. NNPC Limited is committed to ensuring that all engagements are conducted responsibly and in line with applicable policies and obligations.

“Our employees remain our greatest asset, and Management deeply appreciates their contributions to the growth and evolution of NNPC Limited over the years”, NNPC said.