The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB) Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote has charged Nigerian Content Managers working for oil and gas operating and service companies to imbibe the core values of the Board, which includes Passion, Integrity, Professionalism, Creativity, Patriotism, and Team Spirit.
The adoption of those values would grow indigenous participation in the oil and gas value chain and enhance job creation, value creation and development of in-country capacities, he said.
He gave the charge at a retreat organized by the Board at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State recently for Nigerian Content Managers, Focal Persons and Personnel and other critical stakeholders of the oil and gas industry.
According to him, “nobody can succeed as a Local Content Practitioner if the person does not love his or her job. You must first believe and have passion for the Local Content concept before you can practice it effectively.”
He explained that the Board organized the event so that Nigerian Content managers can reconnect and pay attention to their own capacity development as against their regular roles of building the capacities of other industry players.
Speaking on Integrity, Wabote remarked that the word does not necessarily connote corruption but on how an individual organizes his or her daily life. “If you can keep to your time, to your word, people will know you as a man or woman of integrity”, he stated.
He also enjoined Nigerian Content Managers to have integrity as part of their corporate culture considering the volume of transactions they handle and never to allow pecuniary gains or personnel interests to becloud their sense of judgement.
Dwelling on Professionalism, the Executive Secretary counselled the focal persons to be adept with the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, which he described as the number one reference book for any Nigerian Content Practitioner.
He insisted that the NOGICD Act is not meant for lawyers alone and advised the practitioners to read, or refresh their understanding of the Act before the 10th anniversary which comes up in April 2020.
“As professionals, you need you to be familiar with the rule books, the guidelines, and the processes of your trade. You must be knowledgeable about the state of the industry, the in-country capabilities and the existing gaps,” he added.
He stated further that part of the reason the Board organises facility visits to service companies and manufacturing facilities is to enable Nigerian Content managers to see for themselves the capabilities that exist in-country and what is doable.
The workshop attracted a huge attendance and participants bared their minds on the challenges and grey areas concerning aspects of the Board’s operations covering compliance monitoring, Nigerian Content Intervention (NCI) Fund product types and aspects of the NOGICD Act.
