Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The oil and gas park being developed by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, at Emeyal 1, Bayelsa State would be completed in the 4th quarter of 2022.
Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote, who disclosed this after inspecting construction work at the project site, expressed delight with the quality and speed of work by the wholly Nigerian contractors.
Wabote said his visit was a prelude to the planned tour by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, to the Board’s major projects, including the oil and gas park projects at Emeyal 1 and Odukpani in Cross River State and the Composite Gas Cylinder Manufacturing facility in Polaku.
The park, which is currently at 68percent completion, when completed will create a low-cost manufacturing hub that will produce equipment components and spare parts to be utilized in the nation’s oil and gas industry.
“We did the groundbreaking ceremony in 2018 and we were practically inside water; but today, we are seeing structures coming up. We still have a long way to go because most of the buildings are getting to the finishing stages while some are just starting. We believe that we will complete this project by Q4, 2022.”
Explaining the benefit of the park to the nation’s economy, Wabote said the facility would stimulate the manufacturing of oil and gas components in-country, and reverse the current trend where the sector depended on importation of most products.
“The park will also save the much-needed foreign exchange for the nation and create jobs for our people.
“It will also enhance our capacity and bring about technological innovations because most of those manufacturing will be done here. For the community, it will create a lot of jobs and there will be a spin-off effect to other economic activities. The benefits are enormous.”
He also assured that shortage of electricity would not affect companies that would set up in the park, “We have been able to conquer the challenge of electricity at this site. We have built a 10megawatts gas plant to guaranty power to the site.”
The NCDMB boss also confirmed that the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited was supporting the oil and gas project through a Capacity Development Initiative.
SPDC’s commitment to the project include the construction of Effluent Treatment Plant, Fire Station and acquisition of two fire trucks. The company is also committed to construct water treatment plant, sewage systems and piping network for water.
