Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, on Tuesday, frowned at the management of Chevron over the recruitment of an expatriate as director of procurement.
The distinguished senator expressed sadness over the development, stating that the position was previously occupied by a Nigerian in line with local content regulations.
The Senate Committee Chairman spoke at the ongoing Practical Nigerian Content (PNC) Forum at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
According to him, “The NOGICD Act of 2010, one of the most transformative laws for economic nationalism, aims to ensure that Nigerians are prioritised in employment, procurement, and service delivery. Sections 28 to 37 of the Act mandates operators to submit and implement employment and training plans that ensure Nigerian nationals occupy roles across all levels — junior, intermediate, and management.”
He quoted Section 31(1) of the Act as saying ‘For each of its operations, the operator shall submit to the Board a succession plan for any position not held by Nigerians…at the end of the four-year period, the position shall become Nigerianised.’
The Senator urged industry operators and international oil companies to prioritise Nigerians and Nigerian companies in employment opportunities and contract awards, adding that jobs meant for Nigerians or jobs for which Nigerians are qualified cannot be outsourced or given to expatriates.
“The NCDMB must perform its regulatory duties with integrity and consistency,” he added.
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Senator Joel-Onowakpo assured that “As a Committee, we have started a comprehensive review of these concerns. We are examining Nigerian Content Plans, waivers granted, compliance frameworks submitted by companies and agencies.
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“Wherever there are gaps, we will engage. Wherever there is negligence, we will act. And wherever the law is being ignored, we will correct it. Our goal is to make sure the law is respected — by everyone — and that both Nigeria and the operators can thrive in a fair, well-regulated environment.
“We will ensure that all operators have the enabling environment to do their work. We will ensure that NCDMB fulfils its responsibilities. Overall, we will make sure that Nigerians benefit in terms of employment, opportunities, skills, business growth, and genuine participation in the value chain.”
The PNC Forum, a yearly event which began 14 years ago, is a premier platform for constructive dialogue among policymakers, regulators, operators, service providers and other critical stakeholders in the oil and gas industry.
