By John Ikani
The Executive Secretary of The Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote has asserted that local content development is integral for fostering socio-economic development.
Engr. Wabote made the assertion on Friday while delivering a convocation lecture at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State as part of activities lined up for the institution’s 3rd convocation ceremony.
The local content principal said the theme of the lecture – ‘Defining The Value of Local Content In Petroleum Education’ – was apt “as local content development is now an integral part of the Nigerian oil and gas industry, especially with regard to driving development across the industry.”
According to him, one of the pillars of the Board’s roadmap is hinged on Technical Capability Development which involves developing critical skills & infrastructure that are required & utilized in the oil and gas industry.
He explained that the Board has been at the forefront of strengthening the pillar via enablers that include growing industry skills & competence; maximizing utilization of human capacity; growing world-class training facilities; developing occupational standards and strengthening Nigerian institutions.
While noting that 60% of the Board’s & industry’s training resources & efforts are devoted to providing young Nigerians with specialized skills needed to secure employment, the ES added that 20% is towards improving the productivity of already employed personnel and another 20% is for training on soft skills.
Engr. Wabote, in the concluding part of his lecture, noted that local content development is a veritable means for fostering socio-economic development and human capacity development is an essential component of local content development.
He stressed the need for concerted efforts to be made in developing the critical skills required in the oil and gas industry to ensure Nigeria’s Hydrocarbon resources are utilized for the development of the country irrespective of the outcome of ongoing debates around Energy Transition.
The local content boss also charged FUPRE to take the lead in developing skills to develop and utilize hydrocarbon resources.
He further thanked the management & students of FUPRE for the invite and wished the graduands the best in life as they celebrate this unique milestone in their development.
