Akwa Ibom State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel has called for collaboration among International Oil Corporations for the establishment of Vocational Skill Development Centers to facilitate local content development and address manpower needs in the oil and gas industry.
Governor Emmanuel stated this at the opening ceremony of Nigeria Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair 2017 tagged “Advancing Indigenous Participation in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry for National Development”, held at Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo.
Governor Emmanuel who observed that there is no standard fabrication yard in the Niger Delta region, announced plans to partner some European institutions to provide medium term Engineerng vocational centres to boost local content capacity.
According to him “We’ve paid so much lip service to capacity building in the oil and gas over the years.. .... starting with the Niger Delta region, I’m yet to see a major fabrication yard that can meet most of the content we are talking about “
He described the theme of the fair as apt and indicated the state’s preparedness to partner with International Oil Corporations and Stakeholders in the Oil and Gas Industry to make the exhibition an annual event in the state assuring that his administration would put in place adequate security, transparent Legislation and reliable infrastructure to facilitate the hosting of the fair.
“Let me thank the Nigerian Content and Monitoring Board for choosing to host this event in Akwa Ibom. We assure the Hon. Minster, International Oil Companies that the state will partner with you to make this event an annual event in the state. It’s our commitment.
“We know the three things that can bring you here and be rest assured that we would provide security, transparent legislation and reliable infrastructure to host this fair every year in the state”
While commending the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board for the choice of the state for the Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair 2017, the Governor spoke of the massive participation of operators of oil and gas Industry saying that the turnout was impressive.
Governor Emmanuel urged the management of International oil Corporations to accept to relocate their operational Headquarters to Akwa Ibom assuring them of a standard office complex and safety.
He pointed out that more than thirteen oil servicing companies are operating without an office in the state to provide employment and boost the state’s revenue profile and called on the oil Companies to relocate their operational Headquarters to their areas of Operation.
He made a case for the enforcement of Local content law pointing out that the Nigerian Content development policy should benefit the host communities which suffer the impact of Oil exploration.
Earlier, the Minister of state for Petroleum Resources Dr Ibe Kachikwu indicated that the fair was organised to showcase opportunities in the upstream, mainstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas Industry.
No comments:
Post a Comment