MARGARET CHIDERA
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Senate through its committee on Local Content, kicked against extractive operational model being carried out in Nigeria by Chevron, Exxon and other oil companies without manufacturing content as done in other countries.
This is as the National Content Development and Monitoring Board ( NCDMB), told the committee to invite the oil companies for explanations on their extractive mode of operation without manufacturing content.
The committee, during its interactive session with management of NCDMB on Wednesday, specifically lamented that while Chevron apart from crude oil exploration in Saudi Arabia, also manufactures Polypropylene – one of the waste products from Gas, to produce Syringe, which fetches Saudi Arabia $6billion annually .
It added that Exxon oil does same in the United States of America (USA), by making the country the third largest producer of Polypropylene (PP).
The Committee chaired by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP Kogi Central), wondered why the same international oil companies exploring crude oil in Nigeria, don’t go the extra mile of using waste products from crude oil for manufacturing of needed products in the country.
The lacuna in the operational model of the International Oil Companies (IOCs), according to the committee, led to the collapse of Jubilee Syringe Plant in Bayelsa, due to lack of the needed raw material (Polypropylene).
According to the Chairman of the committee, since NCDMB says it doesn’t have the power to make the IOCs diversify their mode of operations, they shall be summoned to give explanations on why they are turning Nigeria to extractive zone and not a manufacturing one, as done in other climes.
“We cannot just allow the oil companies to turn Nigeria to just an extractive zone as far as exploration of crude oil is concerned but a manufacturing one as well with attendant economic value.
“This committee shall therefore summon the affected oil companies to appear before it on how what are available in Saudi Arabia , USA etc., can be replicated in Nigeria,” he said.
The committee was, however, impressed with disclosure made by the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Felix Ogbe, on $50million grant for research and $20million for women in oil and gas.
