By NATHAN NWAKAMMA and EDITH IKE-EBOH

Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa has urged the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to relocate its operational headquarters to Bayelsa where it operated most oilfields and Brass oil export terminal.

Diri, made the call at the virtual inauguration of the 17 storey head office of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Yenagoa on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAOC has built a 10 megawatt gas powered plant to provide power to the NCDMB tower while the industrial park was still under construction.

He said that Agip has operated in the state since the 1960s and pledged his administration’s committed to create an investors friendly atmosphere for private sector capital to drive the economic prosperity of the people.

Diri, who spoke from the NCDMB headquarters at the virtual inuaguration by President Muhammad Buhari, applauded him for completion of the project initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The governor noted that the political will exhibited by Buhari to ensure completion of the edifice was commendable and an example of how to carry out development across party lines.

He appealed to the federal government to ensure that the content policy drive rubs off on the state where the story of oil and gas began about 60 years ago.

Mr Lorenzo Fiorillo, Managing Director of NAOC said that the firm and its parent company, Eni, believed in the concept of reliable, safe and affordable energy solutions across the globe.

Fiorillo said that NAOC participated in the partnership to showcase its belief and support for growth of indigenous capacity in the oil and gas sector.

Earlier, Mr Harcourt Adike, Managing Director of Mega Star, indigenous contractor that handled the project stated that the NCDMB Tower was a testimony that when given the opportunity, Nigerian companies could deliver world class projects.

According to Adike, the company participates in the transparent bidding process in 2013 and won the bid which resulted to commencement of construction in the fourth quarter of 2015.

He said the project was a proof that government jobs could be completed in time in spite various challenges which include the dearth of skilled local workforce.

‘The firm is compelled to train 250 people from the host community on the project,” the Mega star boss said.

He added that the firm was challenged by the terrain which required underground reinforcement for the foundation for the edifice.

Adike urged the federal government to patronise indigenous companies for bigger projects. (NAN)

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