Lokpobiri, NCDMB Boss Clash over Staff Redeployment, Others in Local Content Board

•Minister reverses executive secretary’s decision

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development Board (NCDMB), Felix Ogbe are currently at loggerheads over staff redeployment and other decisions in the organisation.

THISDAY learnt yesterday that the back-and-forth by both government officials has led Lokpobiri to send a warning letter to Ogbe, accusing him of flouting extant rules.

In the letter seen by THISDAY yesterday, Lokpobiri said no part of the NCDMB Act empowers the executive secretary to redeploy or appoint management staff.

He argued that the NCDMB management is answerable to the board led by him (Lokpobiri), explaining that Ogbe therefore does not have the power to redeploy,  appoint or employ management staff.

“The personnel announcement signed by the Executive Secretary (ES) NCDMB dated 4th March 2024 with Ref No. NCDMB/ES/1/001/03/24 redeploying some management staff of the board refers.

“ It has become imperative to empathically state that the Nigeria oil and gas industry Content Act 2010 does not empower the executive secretary to redeploy or appoint management staff.

“ Section 8 (2) (b) of the Act states ‘that the Executive Secretary is responsible to the Council for the execution of the policies and the administration of the daily affairs of the board,” part of the letter read.

Incidentally, just last week,  Lokpobiri  inaugurated the  governing council of the organisation.

The NCDMB governing council is set up under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act and draws membership from representatives of select institutions connected with the oil and gas industry.

The board is chaired by Lokpobiri, while the executive secretary of NCDMB,   Ogbe,  serves as the secretary of the council.

Other members include the Executive Vice President, Gas, Power, and New Energy, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan and the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, among others.

In the official communication, Lokpobiri urged those impacted by the decision of the executive secretary’s  decision to redeploy and appoint to maintain status quo.

“The ES therefore does not have the power to redeploy,  appoint or employ management staff. Accordingly, the executive secretary does not have the authority to overturn deployments/redeployments made by the minister and the chairman governing council of the board.

“Furthermore, Section 101 of the Act states that: ‘The minister shall make regulations generally for the purpose of carrying out or giving effect to the provisions of the Act.

“ The executive secretary is strongly advised not to usurp the powers of the governing council on any subject matter. In the light of the above, the redeployments announced by the ES to all staff on  March 4, 2024 is hereby overturned,” Lokpobiri said.

According to him, arising from the above, employees, he said, are to maintain their former positions before their redeployment by Ogbe.

“Consequently, affected staff should remain in their places of assignment as the status quo remains. Please be guided,” the letter personally signed by the minister stated.