The Nigerian Senate says it is committed to promoting the development and utilisation of local content skills in the oil and gas related sectors.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Local Content Senator Joel Onowakpo said this at the maiden meeting of the committee in Abuja on Wednesday.
Senator Onowakpo, who was newly appointed to head the committee thanked the leadership of the Senate for finding him worthy, adding that he was humbled by the responsibility.
He said the mandate of the committee as stipulated in the senate rule book was clear and unambiguous, stressing that Nigerians should benefit maximally from the country’s natural resources.
He listed jurisdictions of the committee to include oversight of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and matters relating to local capacity development.
Senator Onowakpo said the committee would vigorously pursue the patronage of local manpower, work hard to create an enabling environment that fosters growth of businesses, job creation and development of critical assets.
He said the importance of local content cannot be overemphasised, as it would lead to the creation of jobs, development of critical assets skills and ultimately improve the growth of local business and revenue.
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He said the Senate would work closely with NCDMB to ensure that the provisions of its act are implemented effectively.
“The committee will not only provide oversight, but it will also support the board in itself to provide and implement policies that promote local content development.
“The committee will create and enable an environment that fosters growth of local businesses and promotes job creation.
“We will, among other things, request briefings from the Board on the collection and disbursement of Nigerian content development.
“We will also ensure that the international oil companies and their linkages comply with the existing local content laws and regulations.
“I wish to assure you that I am committed to working tirelessly with you to promote the development and utilisation of Nigerian content both in the manufacturing industries and in the oil and gas sector”.
He urged the NCDMB and the concerned International Oil Companies (IOCs) to cooperate with the committee in the discharge of its functions.
He urged the committee members to be dedicated and committed to the assignment by making themselves available for meetings.
Senator Diket Plang in his remarks emphasised the need to ensure capacity enhancement for Nigerians in manufacturing industries.
Other members of the committee emphasised the need for the committee to collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure that jobs that Nigerians are qualified for are not awarded to expatriates.
In hitting the ground running, the committee resolved to embark on an oversight visit to NCDMB head office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State from Wednesday to Friday next week.
Emmanuel Ukoh
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