Ben Dunno, Warri
The Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye, has urged the Federal Government and International Oil Companies (IOCs) to stop out-sourcing safety training programs, especially in the oil and gas sector to foreign companies, as a way of enhancing the growth of indigenous firms.
Speaking in his capacity as the Executive Director of OPEANS Nigeria Limited, operator of OPEANS Training Centres, a leading safety training and human capital development outfit in the country, Dr Nwoye, boosted that there are some indigenous training centres that can compete with foreign firms in safety training.
He maintained that OPEANS Nigeria Limited, being one of the oldest safety training centres in the country having commenced operation since 1982 has all it takes in terms of equipment and technical know-how to meet world-class standards and international specifications in human capital development.
Dr Nwoye noted that most Nigerian, particularly the management of OPEANS Nigeria Limited went into Safety training business out of a passion for it and had invested so much on equipment and recruitment of qualified training officers and needed to be encouraged to continue to remain in business.
According to him, “Opeans Safety Training has been operating since 1982 and we have not lost a soul. That’s not sheer luck alone but deliberate commitment to provide the best safety training in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry which we have earned our name as the leading safety company.
“We aimed to continue to provide the best safety training for all at risk especially men and women in the oil and gas industry including the Nigerian military and other relevant government agencies. Our goal is to expand our frontiers further. We are building our next safety centre in Akwa Ibom very close to Mobil.
“Opeans Safety centre in Warri is trusted by the NPPC, Nigerian army, Nigerian navy and other major multinationals operating in this country. Our world-class training standard has made us a toast of critical stakeholders in the oil and gas sector. This is the best place to have your offshore training and beyond. People visit here from Sokoto, Katsina, Kano and all over the nation; and that’s because we offer excellent safety training.”
The Federal Government and International Oil Companies must encourage safety training firms in the country by discouraging out-sourcing training abroad which can be provided in the country, as we now have all it takes to meet the world-class safety training standards and specification”.
“The FG should know that we invest a lot and those investments need to be encouraged. Aside from providing security and infrastructure, the FG and IOCs should look toward us and stop out-sourcing training that can be provided by our world-class safety centres outside the country”.
“We have the human and technological resources to provide the best training in oil and gas.
“We are contributing significantly to the economy of the local community, Delta State and Niger Delta region. We came to Warri when many companies were leaving because of militancy and kidnapping. Today, we are rewriting history for the betterment of our people,” he further stated.
Nwoye also dismissed the allegation that the firm was facing a criminal investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged petition that the firm was conducting training that was not approved at the Warri centre, describing the allegations as business competition taken too far.
He told reporters that the company’s excellent performance in safety training over the years has resulted in its expansion to Opete near Warri in Delta State even when many oil servicing companies were folding up during the heat of militancy in the region.
The Opeans Safety Training boss posited that to make the company the leading safety centre in the country, particularly for the oil and gas company, it would soon be commencing operation in Akwa Ibom State to compliment the already existing ones in the Niger Delta region.
“We would not relent in providing world-class safety training for the nation’s oil and gas industry, the Nigeria Military as well as the other corporate organisations that may require our services,” Nwoye declared.