Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote, on Tuesday, said that the board is not an intervention agency involved in the exploitation of natural resources in the Niger Delta region. Rather, he said that the board was set up to bring development, employment opportunities and industrialisation to the region. Wabote made the clarification in Yenagoa during the maiden edition of Interactive Session/Open Forum with representatives of the NCDMB’S projects host communities in Bayelsa State.
Represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Patrick Obah, the Executive Secretary said: “the NCDMB is collaborating with major operating and oil servicing companies to develop and launch the Community Content Guideline (CCG), designed to guide the relationships between oil companies and their host communities and also provide clear definitions of various parties in a project. “It also spells out the rights and responsibilities of all parties in oil and gas projects. The board is serving as a catalyst for the industrialisation of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors to promote the development and utilisation of in-country capabilities for the industrialisation of Nigeria through the effective implementation of the Nigerian Content Act.”
He told the royal fathers and representatives of the host communities, including the paramount ruler of the Swali community, HRH Chief Wilox Job Seifa, the paramount Ruler of Polaku community, Chief Tari Club, paramount Ruler of Elebele community, H.R.H David Osene Osene, Ogbolo IV among others, the need for professionalism, patriotism, passion, integrity, creativity, team spirit. “It is important to always bear this in mind and to calibrate expectations and demands from the Board,” he said. Also speaking, the General Manager, Corporate Communication/Zonal coordination, (NCDMB), Engr. Ginah.O. Ginah described the interactive session “as one of our key initiatives that would help to deliver the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap and actualise the aspirations of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2020”. He noted that the Nigerian Content 10 Year Strategic Roadmap, which possesses five key pillars of Technical Capability Development, Compliance and Enforcement, Enabling Business Environment, Organisational Capability and Sectorial and Regional Market Linkage will be supported by four enablers which include funding, Regulatory Environment, Collaboration and Stakeholder engagement and Research and Development.
Earlier in his speech, the organisers of the event and Chairman of the Lakeview Communications, Chief Nathan Egba-Ologo pointed out that the NCDMB is considerate and forward-looking board to bring their host communities together to basically explain all about their activities in the various communities and in the process, get a feedback directly from the people and not a third party. “NCDMB clearly operate a policy of transparency and equitable distribution of opportunities, therefore this forum is a veritable opportunity for the delegates to ask questions, Interrogate issues concerning the board’s projects, policies and activities that are not clear to them,” he said.
