By Elizabeth ADENUGA
The Oil and Gas Trainers’ Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) on Friday restated its commitment to in-country training to boost human capital development in the industry.
The association’s President, Dr Afe Mayowa, gave the assurance while addressing newsmen in Lagos on its upcoming second annual conference and exhibitions.
Mayowa said that there was a link between the quality of a nation’s workforce and its economic growth.
He noted that an onslaught of complex and broad ranging socio-economic challenges, including poor governance, corruption and inadequate infrastructure had affected the Nigerian human capital over the years.
He said other challenges confronting human capital in Nigeria included outdated educational curriculum, poor funding of research centres, social unrest and increasing poverty.
The OGTAN president said that to resolve challenges to Nigerian human capital, the association would assemble resource persons to deliberate on the solutions.
He said that the solutions to be arrived at would be related to generating sustainable employment with a direct impact on the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“While it admits the urgent need to address the widening debt profile of states and unemployment among Nigeria’s young population, OGTAN is also using this conference to address the rapid advancement of digitalisation, automation, artificial intelligence and how it compounds the increasing concern about the future of job security.
“Also how it compounds wealth redistribution and comparatively rising cost of implementing local content where these advancements are lacking,’’ Mayowa said.
He added that OGTAN would be collaborating with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to host the second annual international conference and exhibition.
He said the conference with the theme, “Human Capital Development as a Driver for National Transformation”, was billed to take place in Lagos in April.
The OGTAN president added that the association would give awards to the former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
According to him, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, as lead discussant will be with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu; the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Mr Simbi Wabote; and Dr Christopher Kolade at the conference.
Mayowa said that past and present high ranking government officials, executives of oil producing majors and multinational service companies, diplomats and civil society groups are also expected at the conference.
“In line with improving the skill sets to take on highly technical job roles and even ensure regional integration of Nigeria’s work force across West Africa and other climes, OGTAN, is introducing short courses which will precede the conference.
“This year’s edition shall focus on Process Piping and Engineering Design; Managing Tax Issues; Tendering for Local Content Projects and Winning Bids.
“The Young Professionals Forum is dedicated to young engineers, geo-scientists and all categories of graduates and final year students from varying disciplines will run simultaneously.
“The focus will be for these youngsters to get facilitators to equip them on how to surmount job interviews.
“They will also learn handy soft skills that are quite necessary for new job placements and their future roles in the industry,’’ the OGTAN president added.
