The Nigerian Society of Engineers Port Harcourt Branch has organized a 3 Day Workshop and Exhibition in Port Harcourt in Partnership with Nigerian Content Development Motoring Board and the Rivers State House of Assembly. The workshop was held on 9-10 July2012, at the Nigerian Society of Engineers Water Works yard, 3 Bernard Carr Street, Port Harcourt.
Briefing Journalist at the end of the opening event, the Chairman Nigerian Society of Engineers Port Harcourt Branch, Engr. Denis Dania said the workshop was organized to better the lot of engineers in the oil industries.
Engr. Dania said it is imperative for both the students and the young engineers to gain tremendously by understanding the importance of Nigerian content which will empower the people. He stated that the workshop is timely to expose engineers to the area of collaboration with the people driving the Nigerian content.
He however, regretted that since the Nigerian content law was signed into law by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in 2010 much have not been achieve because there is no sincerity by the operators.
The Chairman suggested the inclusion of Nigerian content in the student curriculum to reduce unemployment and advised the Board to remove most of the hindrances that cripple the process.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, Engr. Ernest Nwakpa represented at the event by Engr.
All Lawal admitted the problem of communication as part of the challenges facing the Board. The Executive Secretary through his representative stated that many are yet to understand fully the meaning of the Nigerian Content and the implementation hence the workshop.
Engr. Lawal, told journalist that in the Nigerian Content, the communities have their role to play in the business of oil and gas under the law and should also find out what they can do at all times. He said, communities can be involve in the area of local security and the provision of labour for those who are not educated to fit into the mainstream.
In his remark the local organizing committee Chairman, Engr. Ben Akaakar confirmed that the main idea of the workshop is to create the idea among the engineering communities especially for the young engineers to participate in the Nigerian content fully. He said all the brainstorm, decisions and ideas share at the Workshop and exhibition will be put together for further study and implementation for the benefit of all.
In his presentation, the Managing Director and CEO of Treasure Energy Resource Limited Dr. Eddie Wikina said the delay by the Federal Government to grant the marginal oil field to Rivers State ha hindered the speedy implementation of the oil company owned by the sate government. Dr. Wikine stated that the oil company has the capacity to employ most Rivers youths in the oil and non-oil sector.
The Managing Director lamented the high rate of politics that envolve the oil block which rendered the Treasure Energy Resources Limited dormant for now. He revealed that soon one of the waterfronts in Port Harcourt will host Tank farms Project in the Private Partnership Participation
(PPP).
Dr. Wikina advice the Federal government to give free hand to the oil company own by the stat€ government to create wealth and jobs. There were exhibitions of different companies during the workshop and a local machine fabricated by Boskel to deal with issue of refuse disposal. ##
Pius Dukor
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