Association urges FG to cancel foreign training for public officers

The Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) has called on the Federal Government and National Assembly to dissuade companies operating in Nigeria from conducting personnel training abroad.

President of the association, Mr Afe Mayowa, made the call in Abuja on Friday during a visit to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu.

According to him, such training hurt the economy, encourage massive capital flight and boost the economy of the destination countries.

Mayowa said: “the country is losing tremendously. The reason is that Nigeria has to be very patriotic.

“The effect of such actions has a tremendous outcome on our economy.

“For example, the economies of Dubai and Ghana are being boosted by Nigerian companies taking Nigerian personnel to Ghana with Nigerian instructors, with Nigerian participants to Ghana to train.

“This is something that government must stop because that action boosts the economy of Ghana.

“Most times, these people go for shopping not for training. The only simple reason people do that is because they want to get “Estacode’’ and we are bleeding because of that, running down our economy.’’

He urged the Federal Government and the national assembly to ensure that all oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria were mandated to recognise OGTAN for handling training in the country.

According to Mayowa, this will be in line with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Act.

The Act seeks to promote local content in the oil and gas sector by encouraging manufacturing, services and contracts favouring Nigerian-owned companies.

He also urged the government to partner the association in the training and development of youths in host communities in line with NNPC’s quest for peace in oil and gas communities.

In his response, Kachikwu, who was represented by Mr Olusegun Adekunle, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics in the Ministry of Petroleum, assured that policies already put forward by the ministry would benefit OGTAN.

He stated that with NCDMB constantly relating with OGTAN, members should be assured that they would enjoy the backing of the Federal Government in their activities.