Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
The Executive Secretary Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr.Omatsola Ogbe has charged journalists and other media stakeholders to report the facts behind the Nigerian Content performance resounding success in in-country value addition to citizens in the oil and gas industry.
Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Manager Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, Barr. Esueme Dan Kikile gave the charge at a one day workshop with the theme ” The Role of the Media In Maintaining the Tempo of Nigerian Content Implementation” on Monday, December, 2024″ in Port Harcourt.
He said the Board appreciate the role of the mass media for disseminating information to educate the populace which he stated informed the board to organize the workshop to keep practitioners abreast with its activities.
The Executive Secretary hinted that NCDMB will clock 15 years in 2025 stressing that the board has moved Nigerian Content from less than five per cent in 2010 to 56 percent in the oil and gas industry and have
in every N100 spent in the industry by operators and service companies, N56 is now retained in-country in terms of value addition. with a target to be at 70 per cent by 2027.”
He promised to support journalists to cover the board activities effectively.
The Executive Secretary, noted that the integration of host communities into the oil and gas supply chain is very critical as an enablers of the strategic goal of 70 percent by 2027.
He emphasized that the Board has reviewed upwards its Community Contracting Financing Scheme to enable contractors in host communities to secure and execute reasonable contracts in the oil and gas industry by raising
the single obligor from N20 million to N100 million which, he explained, “gives local contractors more opportunities to access higher figures which will minimise and completely eliminate conflicts, create a peaceful and harmonious operating environment for oil and gas companies.
The workshop featured paper presentations and two sessions panel discussion. The first presentation entitled “Implementing Nigerian Content New Contracting Guidelines” by Engr. Bashir Ahmed, a Supervisor of the Project Certification and Authorisation Directorate (PCAD), NCDMB, which focused on foundational facts of NCDMB and its operations, such as Mandate and Mission Statement, Necessity for a Local Content Framework, a Regulatory Framework, Ministerial Regulations, Presidential Directives, and Guidelines.
Goals of the Presidential Directives, according to Government, include reducing the time it takes to conclude oil and gas contracts, eliminating intermediaries, and developing processes to verify and document in-country capabilities, reduction of Petroleum Sector Contracting Cost and Timeline aimed to hold the board and operators to strict reviews and approval timelines,”.
He pointed out that “Timelines were never alien to NCDMB,” as the Board had introduced and put into use service-level agreements (SLAs) years ago
aimed at protecting companies with investments in-country and eliminating briefcase agents, carry out capacity audit of key segments of the industry to eliminate intermediaries.
Mrs.Tassala Tersugh who is the General Manager Mainstream of NCDMB in her presentation titled “Nigerian Content Measurement Metrics and 10-Year Strategic Road Map,” stated that performance monitoring is based on “monitoring progress against Nigerian Content commitments and the NOGICD Act.” while compliance monitoring, on the other hand, is checking compliance with statutory requirements.
Mr.Lekan Otufodunrin in presentation focused “Purpose-driven Journalism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,”, talked on the value Artificial Intelligence (AI) brings to the work of the journalist and how to deal with limitations for efficient job performance.
Mr.Lekan, a former Editor of Punch and a career coach stated that “If you have data, AI can analyse it for you”and sift data and give content; AI tools would “generate images, videos, photos, transcribe, and turn text to audio while stating that the tools cannot replace the individual’s capacity to think.
He urged Journalists to acquire appropriate skills and knowledge to make the best of AI, saying that AI would enhance content sourcing and production..
Those on the panel discussions, were Engr. Bashir Ahmed and Mrs. Tassala Tersugh, with the moderator Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, Deputy Manager, Corporate Communications, examined what it would take to achieve the 70% target for Nigerian Content by 2027.
The second panel session featured Professor Diri Teilanyo and Dr. Doubra Timi-Wood moderated by Dr Ezeobi
Media practitioners and stakeholders from over 90 media organisations attended the workshop.
Key Management staff at the workshop included Mr. James Eyetigha, Zonal Coordinator, Delta And Edo States and Dr. Emma Ohanere, Zonal Coordinator, Abia and Imo States.
