The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote, has promised that the agency will continue to build the capacity of youths in oil and gas host communities.
Wabote made the pledge on Wednesday at the 12th Practical Nigerian Content, PCN, Youths Forum in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State with the theme, ‘Conflict Management Mechanisms and Opportunities Around NLNG Train 7 Project’.
According to him, the essence of the forum was to hear from the youths on the challenges confronting them and to seek ways on how the Board can assist in addressing the problems.
The Executive Secretary, represented by the General Manager, Corporate Communication and Zonal Coordination, Mrs. Angela Okoro, urged the youths who have benefited form NCDMB capacity training to contribute in helping the Board to achieve set goals.
Wabote also hinted that, due to the efforts of the Board, capital flight in the oil and gas sector has reduced to 52 per cent, noting that monies that would have gone outside the country are now retained for the overall development of the country.
He said, ” One of the activities of the board is to build the capacity of all Nigerians and not just Nigerians alone but laying emphasis on host communities not just host communities in Bayelsa but host communities of oil and gas companies wherever they may be found.
“We also want to hear from you on some of the things that are affecting you and how the board can assist because I know previously before I came to this position I was in capacity building and I know a number of you here have been sent on one training or the other.
“Secondly, we have gathered all of you here together to hear from you to know exactly on how you can also contribute not just the board alone helping to build your capacity how can you also help the board achieved what the Board has set out to achieve it is not a difficult thing.
“A lot of you are graduate and have been been trained by the Board, and those are part of what we do to ensure we do not have capital flight. A lot of our people have gone outside the country but I assure you a lot of them will come back because I know if the Board continuous in what it is doing Nigeria will be a better place for everyone of us to live in.
“NCDMB also monitors the activities of these oil and gas companies and ensure that whatever is done by then there is a form they normally fill it is called Content Development Plan and in that plan they will tell us what they will do for Host communities whatever it is they are doing so our responsibility is to ensure that what they have written in that Content Plan is what they actually carry out.
“The Board courtesy of the Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Wabote, had drawn up a ten years plan, which is to ensure that certain milestone highlighted are achieved within 2017 to 2027 and one of the critical things we wanted to do is to ensure that in country spent to reduce as much as possible as at now it is 52%.
“When we started it was very high but now we have reduced it to 52% that is a plus for the Board and not just the Board alone it is plus for the country because all the money that ordinarily would have gone outside have been brought in country and it is to be used for the development of Nigeria.”
In his remarks, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, who was represented by the Commissioner of Youths and Sports, Hon. Baraladei Igali, said his administration will continue to come up with development programmes aimed at empowering Bayelsa youths to compete favourably with their peers in other states of the country.
Diri who frowned at the nonchallant attitude of some youths towards empowerment programmes, advised them not to joke with the NCDMB Youth Forum as it will open their eyes up to the opportunities that abound in the oil and gas industry.
NCDMB restates commitment to building capacity of youths in oil, gas host communities
