NCDMB lauds Caverton for growth in offshore support service

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Simbi Wabote, has lauded Caverton Offshore Support Group on its growth towards being a fully integrated offshore support company in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Wabote gave the commendation during an inspection visit to the Caverton Boat Fabrication Yard at the Badore Ferry Terminal in Ajah, Etiosa Local Government Area of Lagos State, according to a statement on Friday.

He expressed delight in the company’s achievements, especially in the direction of capacity building to create in-country value and job opportunities for Nigerians.

Wabote, who was represented by the General Manager, Project Certification and Authorization Division, Paul Zuhumben, enumerated some of the targets of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development 2010 which are to promote value addition and develop sectoral linkages to the national economy and stimulate growth and industrial development.

According to him, the impact of the Act includes leveraging on specialised indigenous skills from the petroleum industry to ancillary sectors of the economy such as shipping operations, boat building and seafaring.                                                                                

He also commended the company’s staff participation in the boat fabrication facility, which he said showed technology transfer.

He advised the company to go into research and development to see how some of its raw materials being imported would be sourced in Nigeria to increase in-country spend in terms of direct and indirect employment in support of the NCDMB’s vision.

Wabote said the key essence of the marine vessel categorisation scheme was to identify Nigerians with genuine titles to vessels.

He added that the scheme had become successful as over 40 percent of marine vessels operating in the oil and gas industry are now owned by Nigerians.

He added that the agency had set out local content targets that must be met to sustain the job creation drive of the Federal Government.

He said the NCDMB would continue to partner with critical stakeholders for the development and industrialisation of Nigeria.

The Chief Operating Officer of Caverton Marine Limited, Mr. Rotimi Makanjuola, thanked the NCDMB for the inspection visit and disclosed that the company is a huge beneficiary of local content development.

He highlighted some of the policies the NCDMB had put in place to encourage Nigerian companies to reach their potential and compete not just locally but internationally.