The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has restated its commitment to building local capacity, empowering Nigerians with relevant technical skills and creating opportunities for meaningful participation in Nigeria’s industrial, oil and gas sectors.
Felix Ogbe, Executive Secretary NCDMB, made the commitment at the weekend during the graduation ceremony of the second cohort of trainees of the Centre for Marine for Marine and Offshore Technology Development (CMOTD) of Rivers State University.
Represented by, Ilu Ozekhome, Assistant Manager, Property and Investment (NCDMB), the Executive Secretary stated that through strategic partnerships and timely interventions NCDMB has continued to support the development of skills competent and globally competitive Nigerian workforce.
‘It really gladdens my heart, when we were outside at the station, I could see that the trainees of these six months of intensive training were already deploying what they learnt into practical use.
‘From the transformer reconstruction to the mobile boarding platform and other skills. I really commend you guys for not sitting on the certificate but applying the skills that you learnt into practical use’, Ogbe said.
He congratulated all the graduands for the significant achievement saying; ‘Your completion of this training is not only a personal milestone but also an important step towards developing a technical skill required to support Nigeria’s industrial and maritime sectors’.
He commended the management of the CMOTD and partners for their commitment to practical industry-focused training and for creating opportunities for Nigerians to acquire relevant skills and competencies.
Ogbe also commended the management of the Rivers State University for creating the platform and enabling environment for the trainings to happen.
‘I encourage you to continue learning, remain disciplined and apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired responsibly.
‘The real value of this training will be demonstrated through how you used your skills to create solutions, contribute to industry and add value to Nigeria. In fact that’s the very essence of this training. Share what you know’, the NCDMB boss declared.
Earlier, Vitalis Ahiakwo, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Marine and Offshore Technology Development (CMOTD) described the Centre as a ‘living hub of innovation, applied excellence and technological leadership, where knowledge is forged into capability and ambition is transformed into impact.
‘Our unwavering purpose is to close the divide between academia and industry, converting research and insight into practical, industry-ready competencies that power the marine, offshore and energy sectors.
‘At the core of what we do lies a clear national imperative; building the human capital that will propel Nigeria’s Blue economy forward’, he said.
To the graduating trainees, he said; ‘You have completed a rigorous journey of learning, practical mastery and professional growth- and today you stand not at an end, but at the true beginning. At CMOTD you have have moved beyond classrooms and credentials to gain the specialised expertise, problem-solving discipline and forward- looking mindset demanded by the marine, offshore, energy and technology sectors’.
A programme brief by the Head of Research and Development and Training Coordinator, Elakpa Augustine showed that the training programme was for a duration of 24 weeks during which the trainees went through: Practical ship design and construction, Circular Economy Design, Mechanical piping and pressure vessel design, Big data analytics, Oil well optimisation, Transformer repair and maintenance and International class welding, fabrication and qualification.
He challenged the graduands to be the change agents; ‘apply what you have learnt quickly, share it with your colleagues, guard your integrity and never sign what you have not verified, keep learning and stay connected as ambassadors of CMOTD. Your success is your organisations’ strongest return on investment’.