Obey local content law, PETAN urges firms

The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria has said companies operating in Nigeria must obey the local content law which came into effect in 2010.

The association said adherence to the law will help build capacity, enhance patronage, and improve the national economy.

National Chairman of PETAN, Engr. Wole Ogunsanye, gave the charge while fielding questions from newsmen after he led a team on a facility visit and tour of Solewant Group Plant in Eleme local government area of Rivers State.

Solewant Group is an indigenous company that deals in pipe fabrication and coating.

Ogunsanye said, “PETAN is the indigenous organization that builds capacity. We have the know-how. Many of us come from the industry, highly experienced.

“We raise funds from Nigerian banks. We put those funds to use, and you are seeing what it is here. It is in Nigeria’s interest that this facility, all of the capacity that we have built, is utilized for Nigeria.”

Continuing, he said, “We cannot afford to outsource these kinds of services that Nigerians have put on the ground to anybody, whether within or outside Nigeria. It is not in our economic interest.”

While referring to the speech made by the Group Managing Director of Solewant Group Ogunsanye said, “ The same factory in China is employing 14, 000 Chinese. We want this factory in the least to employ 5,000 Nigerians.’

While noting that PETAN is going to be advocating for the firm (Solewant) in that regard, he added, “We are going to be advocating for all PETAN members that have built capacity to make sure they we have the patronage.

“1The local content law that was passed in 2010 is a law of Nigeria and it must be obeyed. So, PETAN is at the forefront to make sure that we drive that”.

The PETAN national chairman further said the association will collaborate with Solewant to see to it that their products are exported to other African countries and beyond.

“We are not even stopping in Nigeria alone. We’re looking at the Sub-Sahara Africa countries. This company here, Solewant can produce for this same thing in Angola. They can produce it in Mozambique. They can supply Ghana. They can supply anywhere there is oil business in the sub Saharan Africa, Senegal.”

Earlier, the Group Managing Director of Solewant, Solomon Ewanehi, assured of the company’s resolve to contribute its quota to the oil and gas industry.

Ewanehi stated, “We want to respond to the Presidential Directive that we must increase the production of oil and gas, and we want to support the regulators.

We want to support the asset owners.

“And with the drive of our Chairman (Wole Ogunsanye), he has asked all the members of PETAN to roll out their types of equipment, bring out your factories. We need to support this government. And we have to reduce the pain that Nigerians are going through”.

On PETAN’s visit to the facility, Ewanehi said it was to take stock, pointing out that the association is ‘data driven’

“PETAN is a data driven association. So we want to know the number of factories, number of equipment that we have in country to be able to support the Government and ensure that we are able to reduce the time and also reduce cost of operation.

“And that will help us to ramp up the production of crude so that we can increase the revenue of the country, “ he explained.