A Niger Delta based group, The Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change, NDIMRC has enjoined the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke to read the riot act to multi-national oil companies for refusing to implement the local content policy.
The group in a press statement signed by its President, Nelly Emma, Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Mukoro Stanley, commended the Petroleum Minister for her “transparency in the industry and encouragement of indigenous companies”, but enjoined her to come down heavily on multi-national oil companies over their alleged continued subversion of the local content policy in their award of contracts and employment.
According to the group, two years after President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Nigerian Content Bill into Law; most of the multi-national oil companies are still carrying out their operations without respecting the act and assured the Minister of its preparedness to fully support her actions.
They noted that many indigenous oil servicing companies in the region have demonstrated their commitment to make the Nigerian Content work, but lamented that; “Sad enough, one hundred percent fully indigenous local oil servicing companies in the region are not being encouraged by the multi-national oil companies who still prefer to deal with Daewoo, Saipem, Acergy and O.P.I”. The group alleged that the intention of the multi-national companies is to kill the Nigerian Content.
While commending the Petroleum Minister over her determination to change the ways of doing business in the sector, the group implored her to deal with multi-national oil companies frustrating her efforts and the Nigerian Content policy.
The press statement read in part, “We want to commend the Minister over her recent tour of fully indigenous companies in the Niger Delta region, it is a reassuring tour and we want more of it. But we are still not comfortable with the way the multi-national oil companies are treating our indigenous companies and the Nigerian Content, the time has come for the Petroleum Minister to read the riot act to them, they should not be allowed to derail the Nigerian Content.” The statement added, “the Nigerian Content is a boost to local participation in the oil sector. Our findings have revealed that indigenous oil servicing companies have invested so much in capacity building in the last few years and they should be encouraged so that their huge investment in the Nigerian Content will not be in vain”.
NDIMRC declared, “We want the Petroleum Minister to know that we will back all her actions in ensuring that foreigners and their Nigerian collaborators are not allowed to kill the Nigerian Content and the heavy investments of our indigenous oil servicing companies. The Minister should not spare any erring multi-national oil company working against the actualization of the Nigerian Content. We will throw our weight behind the Minister in dealing with those who do not want her to succeed in her national assignment. The Minister is the best person for the job because she is from the region and knows the pains of her people and the worth of investments of indigenous oil servicing companies in the region. This is the appropriate time for the Petroleum Minister to wedge the big stick against those out to snuff life out of the Nigerian Content.”
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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