ABUJA – Senate on Thursday decried dominance of foreign operators in the employment of personels in the nation’s diving sector.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Content, Sen Teslim Folarin made the remark at an investigative hearing on a motion to ensure strict compliance with statutory regulations and provisions in the Nigerian Diving Sector.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that the meeting which was at the instance of the committee was designed to investigate claims of contravention of relevant statutory provisions in the area of diving in the oil and gas sector.

Folarin said the Nigerian Oil and gas industry Content Development Act ,2010 provided that 70 per cent of divers in offshore energy projects must be Nigerians.

According to him, the sponsor of the motion had indicated that the act on local content had not be complied with in the diving sector.

According to him section 28 sub-section (1) provided that Nigerians should be accorded first consideration for employment and training in project to be executed by the operator in oil and gas industry.

He, however,said foreign dominance has been alleged to have deprived indigenous divers their rightful place in line with the act.

This,he said was unacceptable, particularly at a time when unemployment is at record levels.

This, he said resulted in the invitation of some of the key operators in oil and gas sector to give their perspectives on the issue.

He said it was important for a proper regulatory mechanism to be put in place to enable the diving sector thrive and benefit Nigerians more.

Folarin said the investigative hearing provides needed platform for relevant stakeholders to brainstorm on how best to address challenges inherent in the sector and make appropriate legislative recommendations to revamp the diving sector.

He assured stakeholders that their views would be look into dispassionately in the interest of Nigeria.

Folarin said he was delighted that the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo had inagurated the board in line with the diving Act Work Regulation 2018.

“This is a clear demonstration that Honourable Minister is not oblivious of the fact that the inauguration is necessary for development of this sector,” he said.

He,however, said it was important the minister briefs the committee on what the board has done since inauguration along with plans to fufill its statutory role.

Responding, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo said it was discovered that there had been some lacuna in the regulatory activities of the diving sector.

He,however, said the ministry had inaugurated the board for regulation of the sector, which has the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry as the leader of the board.

According to him, members of the board comprised representatives from the Nigerian Navy, NIMASSA, among other stakeholder associations operating in the sector.

He said the ministry via the board had designed a work plan for regulation of the sector,assuring that the ministry would work with agencies of government responsible to drive adherence to local content particularly on employment and safety measures in the sector.

Shelding more information on the board, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Yerim Tarfa told the committee that the board had met three times to produce a work plan and budget line for regulation of the sector, going forward.

He, however, decried the absence of a working budget to finance the activities of the board.

He said the ministry had to look at the possibility of using part of the ministry’s overhead cost to finance the activities of the board.