The President who gave the commendation at the occasion of the virtual commissioning of the project spoke on the vision of his administration towards national content development. Hear him:
"The completion of this project reflects our drive to provide infrastructure across the country to serve as mechanism for investments and enable us on job creation and eradication of poverty.
"This commissioning brings to the fore the importance of local content of all activities in our national life. I believe strongly, local production of our goods and services is one of the.surest ways to empower our citizens and give the vital opportunities to excel in their chosen professions and business endeavors."
He clearly stated that: "This is two of the executive orders issued under our goverment are reliable to enforce local content to further recruitment and further replicate the successes being realized in the Oil and Gas industry, said the President.
He directed the Minister of petroleum for State, Chief Timipre Sylva to Commission the project.
Muhammadu Buhari at the visual commissioning of the high rising tower building, commended the Management and staff of NCDMB led by the Executive Secretary Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote for impressive performance, while urging them to keep the tempo.
Chief Timipre Sylva, Nigeria's Minister of petroleum for State assigned by the President to officially commission the building, while speaking at the occasion made a stertling revelation about the role he played at the early stages of the project and now.
Hear him:
"This to me is a very emotional moment because some years ago, when the NCDMB headquarters was sited at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, I was Governor and had the privilege at that time to have allocated this plot of land for this edifice.
So, I was part of the begining, but as all of you know, for some moment, I thought I was no longer part of this project;
but today, by the grace of God and by the grace of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am again part of the completion. So, you can understand why it's a very emotional moment for me..
"This project as far as I am concern, is a salute to Mr. President's avowed
commitment to continuity. Mr. President had never played politics with development, that's why although the foundation of this project were laid in 2015, before the advent of his presidency, he ensured that this project continued and completed.
"I am very delighted and highly appreciative of Mr. President and NCDMB for the commissioning of this magnificent building in Bayelsa State. The completion of this project is a key achievement in the portfolio of priorities given to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources under the next level agenda."
The Oil.Minister thanks President Muhammadu Buhari for his visionary leadership, he continually provides for those in the Ministry and the entire country to ensure that the narrative of the oil industry has changed from obscurity to transparency, and transpire in development.
The commissioning of the project according to Chief Timipre Sylva, was symbolic in many ways: "It shows Mr. President is Keen to see infrastructural development in every part of the country, it shows that skyscrapers and other laudable infrastructures can be built also in the Niger Delta, it shows that indigenous contractors can perform wonders when given the opportunities, it shows that the people of Bayelsa and indeed the entire Niger Delta are receptive to development and it shows that Nigerian Content is here to stay"
The former Governor highlighted that parts of what he called symbolic development was the construction of a 3rd Megawatts gas fired power plant in partnership with NAOC Joint venture to service the new headquarters in the NCDMB industrial park under construction.
The gas fired power plant, as the Oil Minister made it clear was 'just a tip of the iceberg as the Ministry of Petroleum Resources under the direction of Mr. President was set to unlock opportunities in the gas resources of the country instead of just quoting the statistics of the gas endowment of the nation every year.
"Our declaration of 2020 as the year of gas is not a fluke. Throughout this year 2020 and beyond, our focus for gas development will be significant from export gas to demestic gas.."
Emphasizing more on the use of gas, the Oil Minister said:
"We will develop our energy to unlock the gas beyond the ground and eliminate the wastage of the flames.."
He used the medium to call on local and international investors to join goverment efforts for the benefit of all.
Chief Sylva gave kudos to the people of Swali Community, the Government and people of Bayelsa State, the Nigerian Company, Mega Star and the Executive Secretary of NCDMB and his management team for the completion of the laudable project..."
Also speaking the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri has this to say:
"...it is my great pleasure to attend this visual presidential commissioning of this 17 storey headquarters building of the Nigerian Content Development Management Board in Yenagoa and the 10 Megawatts gas flare Independent power plant at Elebele I. Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.'
Governor Diri in a spirit of elation spoke as follows;
" On this historic and very special occasion, I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for providing the strong political will and backing to continue with this project and bring it to conclusion timeously .
" Mr. President, the people of Bayelsa are saying thank you, the people of Bayelsa are saying- nua.
"My warm congratulations to sons of the soil, our own brother, the man who has piloted this project, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Simbi Kesiye Wabote and his entire team for the successful completion of this gigantic tower.
"Now, that this outstanding structure has been built, the easthtics of Bayelsa in Yenagoa has changed. It is time to face the business of helping to build the economy and lives of the people of this state and indeed Nigerians."
Governor Diri was emphatic on the implementation of the mandate by the NCDMB the Governor remarked thus:
"In accordance with mandate of the Board and in line with the World Bank Initiated local content policy document. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing the world to think in creating an interdependent ways. We should plan from this episode and escape the inevitable pandemic of agitations that will break out; if communities are not factored into development equation.
He used the medium to Congratulate partners of the State, the Nigeria Agip Oil Company that has been in Bayelsa since 1962, urged and pleads with the company to relocate her headquarters to Yenagoa. Hear him:
"Most of your operations are domiciled in Bayelsa, and it will be good your headquarters be relocated to Bayelsa."
Senator Diri said, his administration was ready to partner and dialogue with companies and corporate bodies to settle down in the state by creating enabling environment to all.
The Executive Secretary of the Board,.Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote in his Welcome Address spoke homorously as follows:
" am not a man gifted to emotions while making speeches or making presentations, but today, I.am sincerely filled with emotions.
Permit me if I faulter in the process, but I hope not.
"Today, marks the long awaited hour set aside to commission our magnificent headquarters building and the 10 Megawatts gas fired power plant built in partnership with the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Joint Venture as a capacity development Initiative standing tall at 70 metres, the main building represents hope that is visible from afar and near to... development."
Graphically explaining the component of the high rising building, the E.S said:
"Site construction started in the fourth quarter of 2015 and we've turned back to ensure that we finish what we started. About half of what you see on the surface is buried below to keep the building standing and provide structural foundation support, using 207 piles each at 800 millimeter diameter driven to 30 meters dept as the foundation carrying this structure."
Engr Wabote who went further, stated that:
The ground floor area of the building is 30 thousand square metres, equivalent to four football fields and able to accommodate more than one thousand (1000) walk space for our own use and for the use of other occupants of the building.
"We put a lot of thought into design of the building, not only to bring out it's edifice but to also focus on the subsequent usage covering the agronomics acostate security, safety, energy efficiency and maintenance"
Some of the specifics according to him, include the use of fire retardants, intelligence building, management systems that cut down power consumption by 25% provision of over hanging cradle under roofed slabs ... to clean sides of the building..."
He gave kudos to the major contractor, 'Mega Star' and other sub- contractors who he said were all local Nigerian Architects who designed and supervised the execution... worked day and nights and delivered the world class project, as he calls it, "...with impressive safety standards.
"The materials used is 76 percent Nigerian Content with the tiles, electric cables, granites and other building materials, the manpower on services and labor is over 95% Nigerian Content, the skills transferred to the local workforce in the construction of high rise building has been unprecedented.
While appreciating the uncommon feat achieved so far the NCDMB boss expressed his feelings thus:
"We are proud of the end to end thinking that went into the design and execution of this project which is typical of Nigerian Content.
"If statistics is anything to.go by, I am told that, this is the tallest building in the South South region and the South East region of the Nigerian geo-political."
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for enabling the NCDMB for achiecing the great feat and for giving all the support in his desire to create and build a lot of infrastructure in the country.
Goodwill Messages came from the pioneer Executive
Secretaries of the Board,. Engr.Ernest Nwapa, E.S Arc. Denzil Kentebe, HRH Chief Wilcox Seiyefa Job and others who all spoke well of the completion and commissioning of the historic project.
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