Association agitates for domestication of training in Nigeria
NAN-HE-10
Summit
By Yunus Yusuf
Lagos, Feb. 1, 2018 (NAN) The Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) has called for domestication of training in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.
Dr Afe Mayowa, its President, said domestication of training of oil and gas workers would increase the chances of making graduates of Nigerian university employable.
He gave the advice at a media conference in Lagos on Thursday held to sensitise stakeholders on the forthcoming maiden edition of the Nigeria Education Summit of the association slated for April 16.
The one-day summit on “Sustaining Nigerian Content Development through Quality Education and Training: Challenges and Prospects” would be chaired by a former Head of State, Dr Yakubu Gowon.
Mayowa said domesticating the training of oil and gas workers would save the country billions of dollars and create more job opportunities for Nigerians.
According to him, OGTAN members have the capacity to train oil and gas workers to international standards.
He said that the billions of dollars currently being spent by companies to train their employees could be invested in the economy.
“Training should be domesticated to handle issues that are peculiar to our environment and generate adequate human capital for the oil and gas industry.
“We want to discourage portfolio trainers, that is, people who just walk into the companies to organise trainings, invite trainers and after that, walk away,” he said.
OGTAN president said that the summit was geared towards fulfilling one of the OGTAN’s key objectives, which is bridging the gap between Nigeria’s tertiary institutions and the oil and gas industry.
Mayowa said the conference would explore ways to bridge the gap between the tertiary institutions and the oil and gas industry in the area of research and development.
He said OGTAN’s vision was to develop a Nigeria oil and gas training business group that would interface with the operators, international organisations and government.
He said that the association would facilitate the implementation of total compliance with the local content requirements through effective human capacity development strategies in line with the Federal Government directives and applicable laws.
Mayowa commended the executive secretary of Nigerian Contend Development and Monitoring Board for ensuring that training would be locally. (NAN)
YO/SA/TA
Edited by Salif Atojoko/Tajudeen Atitebi