The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has urged journalists and media stakeholders in Anambra State to promote awareness of opportunities in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and hold operators accountable for compliance with local content requirements.
The event attracted editors and journalists from various media organisations in the State.
In his opening remarks, Ezeobi said the workshop was part of the Board’s stakeholder engagement initiatives aimed at sensitising the public on its mandate, programmes and opportunities under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act.
He described Anambra as an important location for the workshop, noting that the state was recognised as an oil-producing state and ranked as the second-highest oil producer in the South-East, with an estimated production capacity of about 3,000 barrels per day.
According to him, journalists need a better understanding of the local content law and the Board’s programmes to enable them to inform residents about opportunities available in the sector.
Ezeobi said the media had been a key partner in advancing Nigeria’s local content policy since the establishment of the NCDMB in 2010, adding that effective communication was essential to the successful implementation of government policies.
“Nigerian content was designed to build local human and material capacities, strengthen indigenous businesses, develop the technical skills of Nigerian professionals and retain greater economic value within the country.
“Journalists need to improve their coverage of the oil and gas industry, report issues requiring government intervention and highlight opportunities that could enable more Nigerians to participate in the sector,” he said.
In a presentation on the Board’s mandate and achievements, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, PRS, of the NCDMB, Mr Silas Omomehin Ajimijaye, said the NCDMB was established to develop local capacities without compromising standards and to monitor compliance with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act.
Ajimijaye dismissed the misconception that local content was exclusively for the Niger Delta, stressing that its benefits were intended for Nigerians across the country.
He said every oil and gas project had a Nigerian content plan and commitment, which the Board was responsible for monitoring and enforcing.
The director urged journalists to report observed violations to enable the Board to investigate and take appropriate action.
He also disclosed that the agency had partnered with researchers to develop locally produced solutions and was undertaking large-scale training to equip Nigerians with the skills to deploy them.
In a goodwill message, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, lamented that the state had yet to fully benefit from its oil-producing status.
Mefor said Anambra possessed substantial natural gas reserves but had not enjoyed the expected benefits of the Nigeria Gas Master Plan, which he said had envisaged benefits for the state.
He argued that access to the state’s gas resources could support electricity generation, boost industrialisation and create economic opportunities for residents.
The commissioner noted that the legal and governance framework for power generation and distribution in Anambra was already in place, adding that access to gas and other enabling infrastructure would help the state generate electricity for local consumption and potentially supply neighbouring states.
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Mefor also called for a review of Nigeria’s education system to place greater emphasis on practical skills, innovation and entrepreneurship.
He said the country needs graduates capable of creating jobs rather than depending solely on existing employment opportunities, stressing that the quality and relevance of education were essential to industrialisation and the transition from a consumption-based to a production-driven economy.
Some journalists at the event, including David Eleke of This Day Newspaper, Kenechukwu Ofomah of the News Chronicle (TNC), and Emma Elekwa of The Nation Newspaper all expressed appreciation to the Board for bringing down the training to the state, noting that it has helped widen their knowledge on the opportunities available in the Nigeria Local Content and Oil and Gas sector.
They, however, sought more training to constantly update the media stakeholders on recent developments in terms of policies and laws in the local content area, so that they can effectively educate the Anambra populace.
The workshop featured panel discussions and other sessions on Nigerian content development, community development, professional journalism and ways the media could contribute to the growth of the oil and gas industry.
