Yemisi Izuora/Joseph
The Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB) has promised to boost local construction of marine vessels.
The agency also promised to ensure that Nigerian-built and owned vessels would as from January 2016 be given first consideration in tenders.
Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Denzil Amagbe Kentebe, while speaking at the 5th edition of the Practical Nigerian Content event in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said the intervention would ensure the development of a thriving ship-building industry with all the benefits in job creation, retention of revenue and technology acquisition.
The agency he said is now positioned to galvanise the industry towards local construction, repairs and maintenance of marine vessels and rigs.
“In the area of asset ownership, our Marine Services Strategy and Offshore Rig Acquisition Strategy has created a new wave of indigenous owners of marine assets servicing the oil and gas industry.
“The growth in number of Nigerian-owned assets has also resulted in significant growth in utilisation of Nigerian financial, legal and insurance services handling marine services and drilling contract transactions.
“More Nigerians are now employed as cadets, engineers, rig managers, drillers etc. on marine vessels and rigs,” he said.
The Executive Secretary said the board’s training and attachment scheme has enabled thousands of Nigerians to acquire relevant skills and many of those involved are now gainfully employed in the oil and gas industry.