Nigeria A-Z.com » Niger-Delta

Minister defends Content Law

Naija4Life — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:47:34 +0000

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Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum Resources, at the
weekend defended the Nigerian Content Policy of the Federal Government. She
said the policy was not designed to nationalise the assets of multinational oil
and gas companies operating in the country.

The minister, who spoke at the first anniversary of the
commencement of the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content
Development Act 2010 in Abuja, said the policy is aimed at promoting increased
participation of Nigerians in the operations of the industry, as is the
practice in industries around the world.

“Nigerian Content Act is not designed to nationalise foreign
assets or to completely indigenise the investment interests of foreigners, as
is erroneously perceived in some quarters. The important thing is that the
implementation of law would be guided by a framework that has been put in place
to help balance the interest of the investors and the country’s national
interest in the oil and gas industry,” Mrs. Alison-Madueke said.

According to her, since the approval of the Act early last year,
it has become clear that the industry needed to work towards building capacity
in critical areas to ensure that requirements of the law do not impede the
growth of the industry, pointing out that the collaboration with all
stakeholders must be sustained to erase the suspicion in some quarters that
there is resistance by multinationals in the implementation of the law.

Targets to be achieved

Some of the targets set by the government for the Nigerian
Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) include retention of $10 billion
out of $20 billion average annual industry expenditure; creation of over 30,000
direct employment and training opportunities; and establishment of three to
four new pipe mills to service the demands of the industry and coating, valves,
fittings and components.

Other targets include the development of one or more dockyards
for maintaining marine vessels operating in Nigeria; transformation of ownership
profile of marine assets supporting industry activities and integration of
indigenes and businesses, as well as capturing 50 to 70 per cent of banking
services, insurance placements, and legal services in the country.

Group managing director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC), Austen Oniwon, disclosed that with the recent launching of the ‘gas
revolution’ by President Goodluck Jonathan, about $53 billion is expected to be
spent in the next three to four years on the establishment of strategic
industry infrastructure in the country, including Greenfield refineries, world
class petrochemical plants, fertilizer complexes, methanol plants, gas
processing facilities, and other gas related infrastructures in the country.

The challenge for stakeholders, he explained, hinges on ensuring
that significant percentage of the amount to be spent is in-country, by
supporting the capacity building initiative for local operators through the
Nigerian Content Development programme, to enable them compete with
multinationals, who set up facilities in Nigeria in order to make them take
full advantage of the existing opportunities.

Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Ernest Nwapa, said the take off of
the Act was threatened by the confusion about the necessity to either pass it
separately or be joined with the Petroleum Industry Bill, as it was
increasingly becoming apparent that government was no longer interested in
pursuing the policy of achieving 70 per cent local content in the industry.

Since the take off of the NCDB, Mr. Nwapa said a number of
achievements have been recorded, particularly building its executive and
operational capacity, underscoring the importance of continuous engagement with
stakeholders to reassure them that the Nigerian Content Act is not a punitive
law, but a confirmation of what is done in other jurisdictions they are
operating in.

Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum Resources, at the weekend defended the Nigerian Content Policy of the Federal Government. She said the policy was not designed to nationalise the assets of multinational oil and gas companies operating in the country.

The minister, who spoke at the first anniversary of the commencement of the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010 in Abuja, said the policy is aimed at promoting increased participation of Nigerians in the operations of the industry, as is the practice in industries around the world.

“Nigerian Content Act is not designed to nationalise foreign assets or to completely indigenise the investment interests of foreigners, as is erroneously perceived in some quarters. The important thing is that the implementation of law would be guided by a framework that has been put in place to help balance the interest of the investors and the country’s national
interest in the oil and gas industry,” Mrs. Alison-Madueke said.

According to her, since the approval of the Act early last year, it has become clear that the industry needed to work towards building capacity in critical areas to ensure that requirements of the law do not impede the growth of the industry, pointing out that the collaboration with all stakeholders must be sustained to erase the suspicion in some quarters that there is resistance by multinationals in the implementation of the law.

Targets to be achieved

Some of the targets set by the government for the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) include retention of $10 billion out of $20 billion average annual industry expenditure; creation of over 30,000 direct employment and training opportunities; and establishment of three to four new pipe mills to service the demands of the industry and coating, valves, fittings and components.

Other targets include the development of one or more dockyards for maintaining marine vessels operating in Nigeria; transformation of ownership profile of marine assets supporting industry activities and integration of indigenes and businesses, as well as capturing 50 to 70 per cent of banking services, insurance placements, and legal services in the country.

Group managing director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Austen Oniwon, disclosed that with the recent launching of the ‘gas revolution’ by President Goodluck Jonathan, about $53 billion is expected to be spent in the next three to four years on the establishment of strategic industry infrastructure in the country, including Greenfield refineries, world class petrochemical plants, fertilizer complexes, methanol plants, gas processing facilities, and other gas related infrastructures in the country.

The challenge for stakeholders, he explained, hinges on ensuring that significant percentage of the amount to be spent is in-country, by supporting the capacity building initiative for local operators through the Nigerian Content Development programme, to enable them compete with multinationals, who set up facilities in Nigeria in order to make them take
full advantage of the existing opportunities.

Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Ernest Nwapa, said the take off of the Act was threatened by the confusion about the necessity to either pass it separately or be joined with the Petroleum Industry Bill, as it was increasingly becoming apparent that government was no longer interested in pursuing the policy of achieving 70 per cent local content in the industry.

Since the take off of the NCDB, Mr. Nwapa said a number of achievements have been recorded, particularly building its executive and operational capacity, underscoring the importance of continuous engagement with stakeholders to reassure them that the Nigerian Content Act is not a punitive law, but a confirmation of what is done in other jurisdictions they are operating in.

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Targets to be achieved

Ibusans in UK demand state intervention over ritual murders

Naija4Life — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:23:33 +0000

Asaba in Oshimili-North Local Government area

The Ibusa Community in the United Kingdom are appalled by the fact that it has taken hundreds of women and youths to bring a series of murders to the attention of the police.

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Ibusa, a few kilometres from Asaba – the Delta State capital, on Wednesday in protest of the lack of interest shown by the police over recent killings in the town.

According to Roland Nwanze, President of the Ibusa Community in the UK: “The situation shows a total lack of performance on the part of the government to protect the people, which is one of its fundamental responsibilities. The government needs to accept responsibility to ensure that lives and property are protected.”

The mysterious killings, which began last year, appear to have taken place while the victims were either on their way to, or from, their farmland in the Oshimili-North Local Government area of the state. Despite pleas from the local people, nothing was done. Last week Friday (12 February 2010) a body was found with missing parts.

On Monday (February 15, 2010) this week another body was found and this was deemed to be intolerable by the community who then took to the streets. The number of people killed so far is six (6).

Echoing the sentiments of the Ibusa Community in the UK Nwanze said: “We are appalled and disgusted by these unscrupulous acts.

“More importantly, we feel that it should be made unequivocally clear to the state that the protection of lives is the responsibility of the government and we are no longer prepared to fold our hands and watch this happen. We demand robust action to prevent this from ever happening again.”

It is believed that these killings have been ritually motivated, as parts of the bodies of the victims had been cut out. Consequently, many people are afraid to go to the farm – which is ironically their main source of income and sustenance.

There is no doubt that had the police taken action earlier, lives could have been saved and there would have been no need for the demonstration to have taken place. “I think the police have been slow to react as it seems to be the pattern in Nigeria.

The government have been sluggish and do not appear to have taken the plight seriously. But there is definitely a need to react and remedy the situation. I it disgraceful that hundreds of people would have to take to the streets to protest to force the police into doing their job,” Nwanze sadly pointed out.

In order to help restore safety to the people of Ibusa, the UK chapter has initiated moves to set up a private security organisation to police the area. “On our part, we plan to, without further ado, put in place a vigilante security group to ensure that our people are protected.

“The situation highlights the imbalance of development in Delta generally, and that has affected Ibusa particularly.

“If you look at Ibusa, which is only 10 minutes away from the Delta State capital, there are no real signs of development. This extends to roads, water electricity and schools,” said Roland.

Ilaje militants protest non-payment of stipends

Naija4Life — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:00:42 +0000

Militants from the Niger-Delta

Repentant militants from Ilaje Local Government Area have protested over alleged non-payment of their monthly stipends under the Federal Government Amnesty Programme.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, the vice- president of Joghorro Camp, Shina Ogonnoh, said their protest at UBA, Broad Street in Okitipupa was as a result of non-payment.

“Since we dropped our arms, we have not been getting our money regularly, It is now two months, since we were last paid our stipends,” he said.

Ogonnoh said that out of the 450 Ilaje militants, 75 of had not been paid November and December allowances.

“Some people are being paid while others are not. Government said we should drop our arm to enable them to assist us so that peace will reign,” he said.

Praising the Amnesty Centre Coordinator, Lt.- Colonel Stanley Odienyenfe, Ogonnoh alleged that funds were being misappropriated by someone in the group for personal use.

“They are just frustrating the efforts of the Lieutenant Colonel; the funds released for our salaries are being used by someone else for their own personal use; the Federal Government should sort it out,” he said.

The Okitipupa DPO, CSP Adekimi Ojo, in his reaction urged the ex-militants to be patient and assured them that they would be paid.

“Your grievances have been made known to the people through the press and I have spoken to the Lieutenant Colonel who is in Enugu to sort things out; the money will be paid soon,” he said.

All efforts to speak to Odieyenfe proved abortive as he was said to be in Enugu since December 31 to resolve the issue of allocations which were supposed to be remitted from Enugu.