By Francis Ogwo
The Federal Government has called on the new members of the governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to formulate policies and programmes that would ensure that refining of crude oil is indigenized and operated locally.
This was contained in a speech by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva at the inauguration of members of the Governing Council in Abuja on Tuesday.
He stated that the NCDMB’s 10-year Strategic Roadmap which was launched in 2018 with a view to making sure that Nigeria derives more local benefits from its hydrocarbon resources, especially with its 2027 roadmap target of achieving 70% Nigerian Content level in the Oil and Gas industry.
Members of the board inaugurated for a four-year tenure are: Mrs. Peace Oyanbo Owei, the first ever female on the NCDMB Council, and a representative of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources; Engr. Sarki Auwalu, representative of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR); and Engr. Farouk Sa’id, representative of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Others include Mr. Olorundare Thomas, representative of the National Insurance Commision (NAICOM) and Mr. Nicolas Odinuwe, representative of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN).
According to Sylva, the hardship that has been faced by Nigeria due to COVID-19 and the oil price instability should be a call to look and explore opportunities within, and boost the immune of Nigeria from unforeseen economic emergencies.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote, stated that so many things can happen, both negatively and positively which was blown open by the pandemic. He added that ‘’the ability of a country to cater for its people in a safe and secure environment was inversely proportional to its level of reliance on importation.”
He added that, “Most nations diverted their products to their own use, while others wait for any crumbs that fall off the table. The importance of local content in any nation cannot be over-emphasized and the COVID-19 experience of many nations is an eye-opener.”
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) was established in 2010 by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act. NCDMB is vested with the mandate to make procedures that will guide, monitor, coordinate and implement the provisions of the NOGICD Act signed into law on April 22, 2010
