THE Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change, NDIMRC, has urged the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke to call the Vice-Chairman/Managing Director of Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, Mr. Ciro Pagano to order over the Local Content Policy, imploring the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to also investigate activities of the company.
The group in a press statement signed by its President, Nelly Emma; Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Mukoro Stanley, praised the Petroleum Minister over her transparency in the industry and encouragement of indigenous companies, but urged her to sanction the AGIP boss, over his alleged continued subversion of the Nigerian Content.
According to the group, two years after President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Nigerian Content Bill into Law; AGIP was still carrying on their operations as usual and has allegedly refused to carry indigenous companies along and assured the Minister of its preparedness to fully support her actions in enforcing the Nigerian Content to the letter.
The group wrote; “Our findings have revealed that the Vice- Chairman/Managing Director of AGIP, Mr. Ciro Pagano is bent on frustrating the Nigerian Local Content as he has ordered all his General Managers in charge of projects to put on hold all projects meant to be executed between now and 2015. He is doing this to spite President Goodluck Jonathan; he wants President Jonathan who is spearheading Nigerian Local Content to be out of office in 2015 before these projects are awarded as the AGIP boss does not want the Local Content of the Federal Government to succeed.”
It added; “We want the Vice Chairman/Managing Director of AGIP to respect President Goodluck Jonathan and the Nigerian Local Content and we are also calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the activities of AGIP, the company is not serving the interest of the Niger Delta people in particular and Nigerians in general. 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.”
The group said 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 AGIP, preferring instead to deal with foreign oil companies operating in the country and we know that the intention of AGIP is to kill the Nigerian Content, but this is unacceptable to us.”
While commending the Petroleum Minister over her determination to change the ways of doing business in the sector, the group implored her to battle the AGIP boss, Mr. Ciro Pagano for not encouraging the Nigerian Content.
“We want to commend the Minister over her support for the Nigerian Local Content; but we are still not comfortable with the way the AGIP Vice Chairman/Managing Director is treating our indigenous companies and the Nigerian Content, the time has come for the Petroleum Minister to read the Riot Act to the AGIP boss, he should not be allowed to derail the Nigerian Content,” they stated.
According to the group; “The Nigerian Content is a boost to local participation in the oil sector. Our investigations 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 added that; “We want the Petroleum Minister to know that we will back all her actions in ensuring that foreigners such as Mr. Ciro Pagano and 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 AGIP and any erring multi-national oil company working against the actualisation of the Nigerian Content.
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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