Buhari pledges to complete FG’s abandoned projects, says NCDMB

Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to complete all Federal Government abandoned projects.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote, talked in Port Harcourt on Tuesday at the opening event for the Anoh Gas Processing Company (AGPC), Capacity Development Initiative (CDI), Project at the Centre for Skills Development and Training in Rivers State.

Wabote declared that the development of the skills acquisition center was formulated by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to train and boost the capability and skill of Nigerians to meet the low-to-middle level HR requirements of the Nigerian oil and gas sector.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB added that the project commenced in 2011, but became known in 2019 because of funding issues, stating that the pandemic also affected completion of the training centre.

He said, “The contract for the construction of the Tower Block, the Library, and the Heavy & Light Industrial Workshops were awarded in February 2011. Due to funding and other sundry issues, site construction works stalled since 2014 and is quite regrettable that the Center is yet to be completed more than one decade after commencement of works.

“In late 2019, we commenced discussions with PTDF, our sister agency within the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, on areas of collaboration to complete and operationalize the Center uniquely positioned in the Greater Port Harcourt area of Rivers State.

“The roadmap towards the completion was completed in 2020 but implementation was hampered by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am delighted that we have finally gotten to this point in which the major contractor is being remobilized back to the site after about six years of inactivity.”

He added that efforts of the current FG on the project was an evidence of its stand on human capital development, stating that NCDMB was setting up one of their exceptional intervention tools known as Capacity Development Initiative projects to assist in the completion of the remaining piece of this Skills Center.

Wabote said, “Anoh Gas Processing Company (AGPC) Ltd is our CDI partner of choice on this push to finish the Skill Center in readiness for students’ intake and utilization. We commend the diligence and pragmatism of the management of AGPC in the completion of the novation of the contract agreements and the re-mobilization of the contractor to site.

“Getting this project to completion and its utilization will be a thing of pride to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari who is very keen to finish off abandoned government projects.

“NCDMB believes that a functional skills development and training centre such as this one represents a further step towards the achievement of one of the Board’s key mandate which is to develop local capacities and capabilities.”