*To retain local content in marine sector by 3% in 6yrs
*Matriculate 68 student surveyors
Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The Niger Delta University, NDU in collaboration with the Centre for Marine Surveyors Nigeria has commenced moves to retain about $14billion of the $20billion worth of the marine end of the oil and gas industry in-country in the next few years.
Speaking at the Matriculation of the 68 Marine survey student in Lagos, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Engr Simbi Wabote said that human capital development is a core mandate of the NCDBM just as it occupies its perspiration towards developing Nigeria, goods and services and technology in the oil and gas industries.
The training according to Wabote is consistent with the NCDMB 10 year strategic roadmap adding that the Board aim to outgrow Nigerian content from 67 percent in 2017 to 70 percent in 2027.
He also stated that the training of these marine surveyors is specifically intended to address existing in-country gaps in the marine surveying profession in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
He said: “Marine Surveyor professionals are invaluable in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, especially in their services of surveying wet and dry cargoes including crude and petroleum products.
Advising vessel owners on how to recover or salvage a vessel in distress. This training was informed by the need to urgently address the existing critical capacity gaps in the country and reduce industry dependence on foreign experts.
“We require prerequisite skills and certified professionals in the critical sectors of our economy dominated by expatriates and professionals from other countries.
“This training is consistent with NCDMB 10-year strategic roadmap.
“There are five pillars towards the achievement of the goals of the 10 years strategic road map in the first year, which is training human capacity for development.
“We aim to outgrow Nigerian content from 67 percent from 2017 to 70 percent by 2027, considering retention of over $14 billion all on $20 billion estimated industry and the curation of over 30, 000 direct and indirect involvement from Nigerian.
“This is driven by the strategic and sustainable development of utilisation of in-country capacities and capabilities by NCDMB in collaboration with key and involving all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry and sectors.
“This training is specifically intended to address existing in-country gaps in marine surveying professionals in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
“The competitiveness of Nigerians in the provision of professional marine surveying services, increase local participation and retention of firms in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
“The conduct of the students would be strictly guided by the extant laws and policies NDU, the provisions of NCDMB training handbook on the existing federal government COVID-19 protocols.
“The success of this training depends on sustainable collaboration by all parties involved.
“Both our ships and vessels will sail safely with the confidence that they would be guided to the port, which brings us to the ongoing collaboration with universities as we strive to create continuous crop of trained professionals required by the oil and gas industry.
Similarly, President of The Centre for Marine Surveyors, Nigeria, Prince Adebambo Ademiluyi, noted that Marine surveyors play a prominent role in the marine industry because they provide integrity to the process of marine activities, which is divided into two areas: Engineering and Cargo.
Ademiluyi also said that this vrop of professional which include engineers, marine surveyors ensure that vessels that are on the sea are seaworthy and everything is alright and also ensure cargo on board vessels from port to port are the same quantities, no pilferage and everything is delivered to where it is supposed to go and the way it ought to be.
“With those two role, when played well, the marine industry should be save and provide sanity to all the activities of marine services.” he stated
He explained that there is currently a dearth of marine surveyors in the country hence the need for the programme.
He said: “There are who call themselves marine surveyors but they have nothing to show for it in terms of certification, but those with certification are the ones that have integrity that the customers can count on because they have gone through proper training and that is why we have set up this programme to train marine surveyors to serve Nigerians.
“Niger Delta University is the certificating body for this process. They approved our curriculum and found it worthy for a post graduate diploma and that is why they have endorsed it and they are awarding the post graduate diploma in marine survey.
“The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, are taken up the sponsorship of 30 of the 68 students for this programme.
“We aim to achieve more marine surveyors, better quality service and more integrity in the area of marine survey in Nigeria. These are basically the objectives.
Professional marine surveyors will ensure there is integrity in marine services and if there is integrity it helps the economy. When a marine surveyor surveys a vessel you are going to buy or hire, then the goods you are going to carry would be safe. So losses would be minimise either in Cargo or engineering services
