By ebosele@hotmail.com
Pioneering management staff of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) have reflected on the growth of Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry, with local content rising from five per cent in 2010 to 61 per cent.
The reflections were made at a Retirees’ Celebration Dinner held at the Conference Centre of the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT), the Board’s headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Fourteen former employees who served in seven Directorates of the Board were honoured with Special Awards of Excellence for their years of meritorious service to the organisation.
Speaking at the event, the retired Director, Legal Services Directorate, Mohammed Babaginda Umar, recalled the initial resistance by major oil and gas industry players following the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act in 2010.
He said the legislation, which sought to domicile value-adding activities in Nigeria and promote the utilisation of Nigerian human resources and locally produced goods, was initially met with a less-than-welcoming disposition by some industry operators.
“Local content was new in the oil and gas sector,” Umar said, explaining that companies were initially reluctant to comply with the provisions of the Act and that tact was required to build understanding and acceptance.
He described the eventual acceptance of the legislation by industry operators as a major achievement, noting that local content had grown from five per cent in 2010 to 61 per cent.
“Local content has come to stay,” he declared, adding that other African countries now visit Nigeria to learn from the country’s experience in developing local content.
Umar urged serving staff of the Board to remain committed to their responsibilities and sustain the momentum recorded in local content development.
Another retiree, Daziba Patrick Obah, who served as pioneer Director of the Planning, Research and Statistics Directorate, Acting Executive Secretary of NCDMB from 2016 to 2017 and later Director of Corporate Services, recalled some of the challenges encountered during the construction of the 17-storey Nigerian Content Tower.
Obah also highlighted the early challenges associated with funding research and development activities, noting that there were divergent views over whether the NCDMB or oil and gas companies should bear the cost.
He said the Board eventually assumed responsibility and demonstrated its capacity to effectively manage research projects, culminating in the maiden Research and Development Fair and Conference held in Lagos in September 2017.
In his remarks, former Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Isaac Yalah, who previously served in the Finance and Personnel Management Directorate, described NCDMB as an institution that provided staff with the tools, training and opportunities required to improve productivity.
Yalah identified the $350 million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCIF) as a major catalyst for indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry.
According to him, several Nigerian oilfield service companies accessed the single-digit financing facility to acquire operational assets and expand their businesses.
He also highlighted the emergence and growth of indigenous companies as one of the benefits of the implementation of the NOGICD Act, citing Renaissance Africa Energy Company, Seplat Energy and Oando among leading indigenous players in the upstream sector.
He urged serving employees to continue learning, remain focused and work towards taking the Board to greater heights.
Also speaking, former General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, Dr. Ginah Otonye Ginah, described his years at NCDMB as “very exciting times,” saying he gained valuable experience about organisational management.
Ginah commended the Board for its emphasis on staff training and development, as well as its efforts to promote digital literacy in oil-producing communities through the establishment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres in secondary schools.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, Esueme Dan Kikile, said the dinner was organised to celebrate and honour former employees who had dedicated significant portions of their professional careers to the Board.
Kikile said the retirees contributed beyond their official responsibilities by sharing knowledge, building relationships, mentoring colleagues and helping to strengthen the institutional experience of NCDMB.
He expressed appreciation to the retirees on behalf of Management and staff, wishing them good health, peace, happiness and fulfilment in their retirement.
A major highlight of the ceremony was a testimonial session during which serving staff members, including former Technical Assistants who worked closely with the retirees, shared personal experiences about their years of collaboration.
The session provided emotional moments as speakers recalled the professional guidance, mentorship and support they received from the former management staff.
The celebration also featured a dance session by the retirees and a cultural performance, providing an opportunity for former colleagues to interact and celebrate in a relaxed atmosphere.
Other retirees honoured at the event included Dr. Ama Ikuru, former Director, Capacity Building; Adelana Akintunde, former Director, Monitoring and Evaluation; Dr. Obinna Ofili, former Director, Finance and Personnel Administration; Mrs. Angela Okoro, former General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination; Taridouye Gagariga, former Manager, Properties; Ombu Atonbara, former Manager, Audit; Okpetu Gabriel, former Deputy Manager, Capacity Building; and Peter Isu Odo, former Manager, Security.
