The Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has voiced its objections to the unabating attitude of Nigerian Oil and Gas companies refusing to hire qualified Nigerians and instead ,circumvent the Nigeria Content in hires in the critical sector of the economy.
The Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr Simbi Kesiye Wabote made the no holds barred remark at recent 2023 Summit of Oriental News in Lagos where he labeled it the ‘greatest problem’ the Board is saddled with.
He speaks, “The greatest problem we have in implementing the Nigeria Content provisions of the Nigeria Content of the Act in the Oil and Gas industry is with the Nigerian Oil and Gas companies. That is our greatest problem.”
Wabote who was represented by the Director Corporate Services Patrick Obah, said the preference for hiring western oil professional was anathema to the local content Act and it persisted because the Nigerian company owners take pride to relate with western counterparts about their foreign hires the damage to local qualified Nigerians left in the lurch notwithstanding. This issue that stares at the Board he is an attitude problem.
NCDMB Helmsman points to the legal provision that is constantly abused, “But the law says before you hire any expatriate you must apply to the Board to get provincial approval before you proceed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to get the final expatriate quota approved.” Unimpressed Wabote said ‘Nigerians don’t do it.”
The consequence of this he said was that local development is stalled because of attitude. “That is what they like doing that’s where we are, keep exporting our labour outside the country.
Not deterred by the this negative attitude, Wabote said, “We have created a 10 years strategic road map from 2017 – 2027 with an ambition to growing local content to 70%. We have said it over and over again and its important to repeat, you let your foreign partners know that there is the deliberate policy of the Nigerian government to grow local capacity.”
