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PETAN, Others Leverage Local Content To Maximise Economic Gains Of AfCFTA
The Chairman, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Mr. Nicolas Odinuwe, has joined critical stakeholders in the oil and gas sector in Africa to deliberate on how to lay a solid foundation for the design of an African Local Content mechanism to maximise the economic benefits from the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in the hydrocarbon value chain.
The pan-African engagement themed, ‘Fostering Local Content in Africa for Africans’, was hosted by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in collaboration with the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Odinuwe, speaking on behalf of Nigerian service companies, emphasised the role of legislation needed to create a regulatory mechanism to midwife the process and ensure independent funding that would promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to drive entrepreneurship and capacity building and promote inclusiveness and integration in the region.
He said that while African content was a relatively need concept, regional cooperation was not, and developing a standard local content framework would involve a conscious utilisation of goods and services available within the continent to exploit and produce Africa’s vast and largely untapped oil and gas reserves.
“The time has come for us to look beyond our local arrangements at the bigger picture, to see how we can harness available resources within our continent for our collective development and the key to unlocking this potential is collaboration”, he said.
He, therefore, advised that the regional local content regulatory model incorporate provisions that will ensure that its minders are people of the right skill set who will help direct capital to where there are opportunities as local content does not always develop commensurately with capital flows.
He commended the efforts of the NCDMB through its committed leadership for the successful implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act which has exponentially grown the capacities and capabilities of Nigerian service companies, including that of PETAN and created synergy among stakeholders through constructive engagements and innovative programmes to encourage and incentivise local companies to form joint ventures with foreign companies to ensure technology transfer as well as the development of young minds in the field of Engineering through Science and Technology Innovation challenges and vocational trainings.
He noted that PETAN’s partnership with the NCDMB and other critical stakeholders have ensured that indigenous companies were creating the needed domestic production linkages to ensure that the extractive industry makes significant contributions to accelerate the economic growth and development of Nigeria and now Africa.
While urging an enabling environment to create a private-sector-led regional oil and gas industry, Odinuwe described the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as a key enabler which has helped to widen the path for Africa as the next global energy hub with great investment opportunities.
“Governments across Africa”, he charged, “especially the Sub-Saharan Africa oil and gas producing countries should provide the necessary incentives to attract private-sector investments across the entire value chain of the oil and gas industry. Using oil and gas as its critical resources, Africa speedily promotes its development”.
He added that PETAN, as the foremost leading advocacy group of over 300 indigenous oil and gas service companies with over 30 years experience across the entire value chain of the industry will always be ready to partner relevant national and regional stakeholders to share experiences and expertise as well as nurture, mentor and invest in available opportunities across the region and continent.
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote, express the commitment of the board to facilitate linkages among all stakeholders in the oil and gas value chain, and thanked participants for their desire to push the envelope for the development of the continent.
Wabote stated that African countries have been fascinated by the remarkable impact and achievements of Nigeria in the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act and the development of its hydrocarbon resources which is anchored on the philosophy of in-country value addition.
He said that this has inspired some African countries to undertake a study tour to Nigeria to understand the NCDMB delivery model with some signing similar local content laws or policies based on insights from Nigeria.
He added that the APPO Charter on Bilateral Cooperation among oil producing countries as well as the signing of the AfCFTA were bold steps which has prompted a new era for the galvanisation of the region towards regional cooperation around developing capacities and capabilities to deliver oil and gas services in the continent.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said the government working to create enabling environment for businesses in the sector to thrive, and build wealth for the country.
In his remarks, the Secretary-General of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO), Dr, Omar Farouk Ibrahim, said that players in the sector were exploring investment opportunities to jump-start a new era in the industry.
It would be recalled that PETAN spearheaded a steering committee at its recently concluded Sub-African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) 2021 following passionate calls for regional collaboration and deepening of local content by stakeholders across Africa.
Discussions focused on evaluation of regulatory models for the governance, funding and monitoring of local content implementation in frontline economies, laying a solid foundation for the design of an African Local Content programme to maximise economic benefits from implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in hydrocarbon value chain and data sharing on capacities that exist around skills, infrastructure, facilities, assets and funding for exploration, field development and production activities in Africa.
Representatives from the African Union (AU), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) attended the event.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.
