By KUNLE KALEJAYE
THE Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has express confidence that the implementation of Nigerian Content Act will boost job creation for Nigerians in the oil and gas industry.

The Minister disclosed this when she commissioned the new service complex of Lee Engineering in Warri, Delta State.

According to her, “with continuous aggressive implementation of Nigerian Content Act, and ongoing support of Mr. President, we will ensure that more Nigerian companies within the oil and gas sector are able to grow and provide jobs particularly technology based jobs, and ensure employment generation over the next few years.”

She charged industry stakeholders to deepen their collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, towards ensuring full compliance with the Act.

According to Alison-Madueke, the Act which was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan on April 22, 2010, and which gives first consideration to Nigerians in the operations of the industry has given rise to the development of many indigenous operating and service companies.

Accordingly, she said many indigenous operators and service providers have benefitted from contracts and jobs in the industry, which the Nigerian Content Act reserves exclusively for Nigerians and in-country execution.

The minister charged the staff of Lee Engineering to take their work seriously, as they are breaking frontiers and making major contributions to the growth of the economy.

She further tasked them to understand the importance of their jobs in the value chain of Nigerian economy, noting that, “what you are doing today will have a major impact on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector in the years to come.