Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has lauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for its role in recovering outstanding financial remittances due to the Board from oil and gas industry operators.
The commendation came during a courtesy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, by a delegation from the NCDMB, led by Maureen Obukofe, who represented the Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe.
Obukofe recounted how the Board had initiated a partnership with the EFCC in 2019 after discovering that many oil and gas operators were failing to remit the mandatory one percent of every contract to the Board, as stipulated by law.
“Over time, we realized that most of these operators were not remitting this one percent and we realized that there’s no agency well-equipped and statutorily empowered other than EFCC to help us recover these outstanding remittances,” Obukofe said.
“That was how this partnership was formed back in 2019 by the then Executive Secretary, and today, we are happy to note that the Commission has recovered some monies on behalf of the Board, and I know they will still recover more. So, we’ve come to say thank you.”
She described the collaboration as pivotal in ensuring compliance with Nigerian Content obligations in the oil and gas sector.
In response, the Acting Zonal Director of EFCC Port Harcourt, Hassan Saidu, expressed surprise and gratitude at the gesture of appreciation from the Board.
“Barrister Maureen, we are very grateful for your visit. In fact, if every organization will do what you have done, it will motivate us more,” Saidu said. “I am lacking in words to describe this type of visit because it is kind of a rare visit, sending a delegation to appreciate what we have done.”
The EFCC director assured the NCDMB of the Commission’s continued support in helping the Board recover what is rightfully due to it and enforcing compliance within the oil and gas sector.
