Mkpoikana Udoma
Yenagoa — The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, on Thursday, stated that it has created the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the Niger Delta, through its completion of the NCDMB Tower in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State.
Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote, disclosed this at the Virtual Commissioning of the Nigerian Content Tower and 10MW Gas Fired Power Plant in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The NCDMB boss who gave the timeline of the 70meters high ruse building, said NCDMB has utilized the project to create jobs, impact skills, procure local goods, build capacities, and change the skyline of Bayelsa State and that of the Niger Delta.
He also disclosed that some firms were already discussing with the Board to have an office space in the NCDMB Tower.
“The significance of this project is that we have created an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the Niger Delta and for the oil firms to relocate to the Niger Delta.
“We have a 17-storey building which is the tallest building in the South South and South East, NCDMB is not going to occupy the entire building because we do not have such capacity.
“As I am talking to you now, two companies are already discussing with us to have an office space in this building.”
Wabote reteirated that the mandate of NCDMB was deeply rooted in the law setting up the Board as a regulator and developer of capacities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, just like the foundation of the building.
“We put a lot of thought into the design of the building not only to bring out a magnificent edifice but we also focused on the subsequent usage covering the ergonomics, acoustics, security, safety, energy efficiency and maintenance.
“Some of the specifics include the use of fire-retardant façade, intelligent Building Management System that cuts down power consumption by 25%, the provision of an over-hanging cradle on the roof slab to clean the four sides of the building, zero voice transmission through the walls of the Conference Center, scissors design in the ramp of the multi-level car park to avoid head-on collision, etc.”
According to him, all these have been done using the dexterity of a local Nigerians, architect, engineers, emphasizing that skills transfer has been unprecedented, as the labour force has been 95percent Nigerians.
“The materials used is 76% Nigerian Content with the tiles, electrical cables, granite, and many other building materials produced in Nigeria. The manpower used for services and labor is over 95% Nigerian Content. The skills transferred to the local workforce in the construction of a high-rise building has been unprecedented.
“We are proud of the end-to-end thinking that went into the design and execution of this project which is typical of what we do in the Nigerian Content Board. That is why we also partnered with NAOC JV to provide the 10MW gas-fired Power Plant to provide reliable power supply to the new headquarters building.”
