From Kenechukwu Chukwuedozie, Yenagoa

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote has stated that the Federal Government is determined to deepen local content in order to reduce the importation of products that could be produced locally.

Wabote stated this on behalf of board and Minister for State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva during the groundbreaking of ERASKON 64,000 litres per day Lubricant and Chemical Blending Plant and product launch in Gbarain in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State.

According to him, Nigeria currently consumes about 250million liters of engine oils per annum and this consumption grows at more than 5 per cent every year due to the addition of new vehicles and machineries.

He said “the in-country blending capacity has remained constant at about 150 million liters showing a shortage of about 100million liters. This shortfall is met by importation of finished lube oil products with the attendant loss of revenue and job opportunities.”

The NCDMB boss noted that the partnership with ERASKON is in line with the agency’s mandate to develop local capacity in the oil and gas sector.

“Section 70(h) of the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010 mandates the Board to assist local contractors and Nigerian companies to develop their capabilities and capacities to further the attainment of the goal of developing Nigerian Content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry,”

Wabote commended the vision of ERASKON management in setting the lubricant plant which according to him will provide jobs for over 200 persons and over 800 indirectly.

To demonstrate faith in the ERASKON range of lubricants, the local content boss who performed the grounbreaking ceremony on behalf of Sylva directed the use of ERASKO oil and lubricants in all NCDMB vehicles.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Vice Chairman of ERASKORP Nigeria Limited Mr. Maxwell Oko, pointed out that Nigeria consumes about 700 million liters of lubricants yearly accounting for about 20 per cent of Africa’s total demand.

“The idea of building a lubricants blending plant follows our determination to contribute to Nigeria’s industrial development.”, he said, stressing “Lubricants are the lifeline of every engine.”

Oko commended the partnership ERASKON has with the NCDMB, stating “Our confidence was further boosted by our partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) who, from their investment in us, demonstrated a clear commitment to our vision.

“specifically, this lubricants blending project aims at providing employment, developing local manufacturing capacity and increasing local content participation in the industry.

“ We believe our people can grow better with proper transfer of knowhow and the best way to aid that process is to site companies where such knowhow can be put to use closer to them.

“We want all Bayelsans, Niger Deltans and indeed Nigerians to see this project as part of our own achievements in commerce and industry.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan who performed the products launch congratulated Wabote for supporting ERASKON’s lubricant project just as he supported the Azikiel Refinery.

Jonathan said: “today is a happy day for me. That we are seeing this in Bayelsa. This project will attract other investments and beyond increase the revenue of the state”

The former president advised other youths in the state to emulate Oko by aatrracting investments to the state.

The ERASKON Lubricant and Chemical Blending Plant is built on the 50 ERASKORP Industrial Manufacturing Complex (IMC) in Gbarain, Bayelsa stateThe plant is expected to produce 64,000 litres per day lubricants per day including engine oils, transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids specialized four-wheel-drive products, engine coolants and specialty products such as waxes.

The facility also has the capacity to produce industrial chemicals such as drilling and production chemicals as well as Transformer and Turbine Oil, household products such as detergents and aerosols.

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