Nigeria Content Online

For allegedly
flouting the local content bill, the Nigeria National Fitters
Association (NNFA), an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),
has petitioned the Local Content Commission and Monitoring Board over
alleged contravention of the bill by oil companies in the oil rich
Niger Delta region.

The Delta State
zonal chairman of the NNFA, Morrister Idibra, who disclosed this in
Warri, shortly after the inauguration of the Udu/Ughelli South local
government central unit, accused oil multinationals of alleged
deliberate disregard to the local content bill.

Mr. Idibra said
Nigerian fitters have not failed in their job, but their major
challenge has been the influx of foreigners. He then called on the
commission to take action and sanction multinationals that refuse to
respect the bill. He said it is unacceptable for jobs that could be
done by local fabricators to be given to foreigners.

The newly
inaugurated chairman of the Udu/Ughelli South LGA, Sugarry G. Djukpan,
said the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), awaiting passage by the
National Assembly and the Nigeria Oil and Gas Content Bill, which
encourages employment of indigenous professionals in the downstream
sectors, are major development in the nation’s oil and gas industry.

Mr. Djukpan
expressed optimism that the bill would enable locals to be real
stakeholders in the management of natural resources found in their
locality, adding that locals should be allowed to participate as way of
developing their local communities and the entire nation.

He, however,
appealed to multinationals in the region to be more responsive and
ensure that the local content bill, which enables Nigerians to handle
local work in the industry, is not violated.