Yenagoa: The Senate Committee on Local Content has commended the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for its ongoing efforts to deepen local participation in Nigeria's oil and gas industry. The committee's Vice Chairman, Sen. Ede Dafinone (APC-Delta Central), made the commendation at the conclusion of a two-day oversight visit to the NCDMB headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, during the visit, members of the committee undertook a tour of the board's flagship project, the nearly completed Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGaPS), located at Emeyal 1 in Ogbia Local Government Area, which is already being occupied. Dafinone expressed satisfaction with the board's progress, noting the committee's impression with both the physical infrastructure and the capacity-building programmes implemented by NCDMB for the benefit of Nigerians.

Sen. Dafinone highlighted that this was the first oversight visit of the 10th Senate to the NCDMB. He noted the productive discussions held with the Executive Secretary (ES) and his team, which provided insights into the board's operations and the visible outcomes for Nigerians. He mentioned that the industrial park is nearing completion and occupancy, emphasizing the importance of the NCDMB's training and human capacity development programmes to the sector and national development.

The visit also included a presentation of a self-assessment report by the board, indicating that 56 percent of the workforce in the oil and gas sector is now comprised of Nigerians, marking a significant milestone in local content development. The ES of the NCDMB, Felix Omatsola-Ogbe, shared updates on the progress at the NOGaPS project, including preparations for facility occupancy and the imminent operational power supply.

Omatsola-Ogbe revealed that six out of ten applicants had met the requirements for occupancy in the industrial park, which aims to attract factories involved in light manufacturing and other enterprises. He also announced the launch of a social initiative titled 'Back to Creek', aimed at improving access to education in underserved coastal communities by providing necessary tools like laptops to students.

The senate committee concluded the visit by reaffirming its support for the NCDMB's initiatives and its commitment to monitoring and advancing local content in the oil and gas industry.