Protect critical projects, NCDMB charges Bayelsa oil communities

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has urged host communities of its major projects to promote peace and protect critical projects to ensure timely completion and job creation.

A statement from the board obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday said the NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Mr Simbi Wabote, outlined the various infrastructural schemes and human capital development initiatives being executed by the board in Bayelsa at an interactive session with the host communities.

He said that as part of the board’s mandate, according to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, projects such as the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa and the Nigerian Oil and Gas park in the Ogbia Local Government Area of the state had added significant value to the economy through the number of jobs created, skills transferred and expenditure retained in the state.

He said that the oil and gas park would incubate in-country manufacturing of oil and gas components and create over 2,000 jobs when fully operational.

Wabote, who was represented by the Director, planning, research and statistics at NCDMB, Mr Daziba Obah, also clarified other key projects that were being developed in partnership with institutional and private investors.

The NCDMB boss charged community leaders and youths to promote peace in their domains and protect the projects till their completion in order to create employment opportunities and industrialisation they crave for their communities.

The General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination NCDMB, Dr Ginah Ginah, stated that members of the host communities had a duty to support the board’s development efforts. PUNCH