By Oke Peter
Seventy young graduates of engineering, geology and related disciplines on Thursday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, commenced a six-month human capital development (HCD) brush-up vocational training on multiple skill sets on the back of the 600 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) Assa North-Ohaji Gas Facility Project of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and Lee Engineering Limited in Imo State.
The training structure, which consists of detailed instructor-led classroom sessions, extensive exposure to real-life operational challenges through hands-on training, covers critical aspects of forklift operations, mobile crane operations, scaffolding design and installation, electrical work, plumbing, refrigeration and air-conditioning.
In a keynote address at the kick-off ceremony, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Deputy Manager, HCD, of the Board, Mr. Tareowei Bufazi, noted with satisfaction that the programme covers critical vocational skills that support operations across the entire value chain in the oil and gas industry, notably, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) within land and deep offshore.
He said the trainees would acquire valuable knowledge, hands-on experience and competencies that could position them for meaningful participation in Nigeria’s growing energy sector and wider economy. He pointed out that in the course of the training, participants would be prepared for certification being conducted by international accredited certification bodies, and could work in any part of the world with such qualifications.
“The certification for crane or forklift operations issued to you is enough for you to work in the oil and gas offshore operations anywhere in the world,” he declared.
Engr. Ogbe explained that the NCDMB has a mission to act as “catalyst of industrialization in the oil and gas sector and also to build human capacity, deepen Nigerian Content in projects and also increase Nigerian participation in terms of percentage in projects.” The Board, he noted further, is focused on promoting and creating opportunities that would drive national growth.
Turning to the trainees, he said the training programme is “a statement of belief” in their potential, but that belief alone was not enough. “What you do with it self-belief is all that matters.” He urged them to approach the training with the required seriousness of purpose, to be disciplined, focused and committed. “The difference between those who merely attempt and those who emerged transformed,” he noted, “is not intelligence but attitude and consistency.”
He commended Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and Lee Engineering for their commitment to human capacity development, and also the training organization, ICON Engineering and Company Limited.
In an opening speech, a representative of Renaissance Africa Energy, Engr. Funsho Alabi, expressed appreciation to NCDMB for its continued guidance and support, which greatly contributed to the successful take-off of the Assa North-Ohaji Gas Project.
According to him, “This project represents more than technical execution; it embodies our shared commitment to capacity building, local content development and sustainable growth in Nigeria.”
He said Renaissance Africa Energy seeks to empower trainees, strengthen skills, and ensure Nigerian professionals remain at the forefront of the oil and gas industry through the initiative. The company, he pointed out, remains dedicated to excellence and transparency as well as collaboration, working hand-in-hand with partners such as NCDMB and Lee Engineering Limited “to deliver not only on project milestones but also on the broader vision of national development.”
In an overview of the HCD Programme, a representative of the training organisation, ICON Engineering and Construction Company Limited, Mr. Alali Kitoyi, explained that the training is part of a Nigerian Content initiative grafted in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010, which dictates that a training programme of this nature be undertaken on the back every major project in the oil and gas industry.
According to him, the project on which the HCD is being conducted is within the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) scope of the Assa North-Ohaji Gas Facility, which processes gas waste into dry sales gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
In closing remarks, a representative of Lee Engineering, Engr. Stanley Agbaigu, said his company saw productive stakeholder engagement through this project. He noted that the project has impacted lives in the local community, as some individuals have been empowered through its trainings, with a few working outside the shores of Nigeria.
He disclosed that companies abroad are looking for Nigerians with certification in scaffolding design and installation and related skill sets for employment.
