By MICHAEL EBOH

Addax Petroleum Development (Nigeria) Limited has restated its commitment to the promotion of the local content initiative of the Federal Government.

Speaking at its celebration of the third anniversary of Nigerian Content in the oil and gas industry, Mr. Cornelius Zegeelar, Senior Vice President/Managing Director, Addax Petroleum, said the company has over the years encouraged the development of local capacity in Nigeria as parts of its contribution to Nigeria’s economic development.

He stated that the company has complied fully with the requirements of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, and is currently building local capacity and competencies in the oil and gas sector.

Zegeeler, who was speaking on the theme of the celebration, titled, ‘Developing Nigerian Content: It all begins with you,’ maintained that the company is contributing positively to community development, youth empowerment, increasing indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector and is helping create linkages to other sectors of the economy.

He added that the company is determined to encourage Nigeria’s economy diversification, improving the education sector, empowering community youth, developing manpower, developing skills for young persons and implementing vocational training.

He said, “task of National Content Development and nation building does not lie with just the International Oil Companies, IOCs, or NCDMB. We all have a role to play.

“The theme is about taking personal responsibility towards the realization of the national content goals of human capital development and national capacity building.

He highlighted Addax’s Nigerian content achievements to include; full compliance to all NCDMB tendering & contracting requirement; history of utilizing competent Nigerian contractors even on very complex projects; youth development initiatives & community projects aimed at empowering youths in our areas of operations; vendor development initiatives and an increased focus in the training and development of its employees.

Speaking via a live feed, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, Executive Secretary, NCDMB, commended the company for its commitment to the development of the Nigerian Content initiative.

He said the NCDMB will continue to continue to support the company, ensuring that it operates without disturbances or any form of hindrance.

Nwapa, however, advised the company to continually partner and work with the community so that its impact will be felt in the community and the country in general.

Also speaking, Mr. Tunde Adelana, Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, NCDMB, said the NCDMB Act has helped create about 30,000 jobs in oil and gas industry and has also helped revive vast majority of local companies and industries that were either dying or redundant.

He stated that the celebration presents an opportunity to reassess the progress of the Nigerian Content initiative, thus far, in view of the impact of the policy on the economy.