Building Next Generation Skilled Workers for the Nigerian Oil Industry,

This tutelage plan was put in place to further ensure the effective implementation of the National Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB)’s human capacity development plan in the course of executing the Sonam Development Project Pipeline and Okan Pig Receiver Platform Transport and installation contract.

At the close of the ceremony held in Lagos, West African Ventures (WAV)’s deputy managing director, Mr. Michael Amaeshike, pointed out how the categories of professionals considered for the training was designed to include graduates, artisans, and tutors selected in line with the requirements of the NCDMB human capacity development guidelines. At the event, Amaeshike enthused that the training had been set up in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act 2010, which demands provision of an additional human resources capacity development, for some categories of Nigerian citizenry outside contractor personnel, in the course of executing major projects in the industry.

Only recently, the Monitoring Board observed, in the course of its activities, the disturbing trend in which stakeholders and their partners carried out activities in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the nation’s oil and gas industry in violation of the provisions of the NOGICD Act 2010, and despite its notices and warning. It had subsequently indicated its willingness to apply appropriate sanctions against any erring stakeholder.

The West African Ventures (WAV), according to its deputy managing director, had gone all the way out in carrying out the training due to its belief in retaining value in the country, since the future of the sector lay in the hands of Nigerians who are in tune with developments in the industry. This made the executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engineer Simbi Wabote, who was represented at the occasion by the HCD Manager, Engineer Maurice Iwhiwhu, speak enthusiastically about how the training marked a watershed in the delivery of the mandate of the NCDMB. He had then praised WAV and Chevron for providing a platform for building the capacity of young Nigerians, in a manner that would lead to the creation of a sustainable industry.

Wabote affirmed that the competency of all the trainees was assessed quarterly and at the close of training through various NCDMB assessment evaluation sheets, also in agreement with the representatives of Chevron and NCDMB.

Of the 26 trainees, 18 of them were professionals, with the breakdown having four of them trained in cost control, two in document control, four in HSE, two in construction, two in engineering and four in QAQC, with the remaining eight trained under the artisans’ category as welders.

WAV’s decision in facilitating the capacity building was in the effort to equip Nigeria with personnel who are professionals and can hold their own anywhere they find themselves, despite the economic situation of the country, as noted by company’s general manager for commercial and sales, Mr. Edmund Ejiogu. And this was equally in relation to West African Ventures’ belief in the ability of Nigerians to occupy the commanding heights of the oil and gas industry. Ejiogu further claimed that WAV is not simply satisfied being the pioneer and the best in the provision of logistics services to the oil and gas sector in the country, but also wants to have a stake in the development of the future of the sector in the country and Africa as a whole.

The trainees, including Temilade Adeoye, whose capacity was built on cost control, was grateful for the opportunity it served in opening her up to more knowledge acquisition that would be helpful in her career endeavors. To her, the 13,020-man-hours spent in the classroom and 77,680-man-hours on the job, was time well spent under the guidance of WAV, Chevron, and NCDMB.

An artisan trained as a welder, Basil Friday, considered the experience as a possibility he could never have dreamt of, and which granted him a lifetime chance of getting better heeled at his vocation, and hence uplifting his material circumstances. He had been exposed to the latest techniques in welding, both under the water and above the sea level, therefore hauling him to the level of a certified professional, which he was highly thankful for.

The programme which was held in Lagos, Warri and on offshore facilities, saw the Nigerian Content Development (NCD) coordinator for West African Ventures (WAV), Mr. Emmanuel Chiemejonam, appreciate the trainees for their diligence and the level at which they comported themselves during the training, despite the challenges involved. It was a unique capacity building experience designed to offer skills, on-the-job training and project management while serving as one of the conduits for replenishing the talent stock of the oil and gas industry. Its major thrust was the need for skills and technology transfer to Nigerian locals, so they can take their rightful place in the management of the country’s oil and gas industry.

source:newsnow