Ex-President urges Govt, Nigerians to encourage local entrepreneurs

Obasanjo expressed satisfaction at the oil and gas facilities saying the initiative would help to check over dependence on foreigners in oil and gas sector.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged government at all levels and Nigerians to encourage local entrepreneurs to grow the economy.

Obasanjo gave the advised on Friday while inspecting the ongoing facilities of Lee Engineering and Construction Company in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta.

The former president, who expressed satisfaction at the oil and gas facilities, said the initiative would help to check over dependence on foreigners to work in the oil and gas sector.

He noted that the fortune of the International Oil Companies (IOC) was diminishing unlike when he was president and wondered what would happen to the young graduates in the oil and gas if the local content was not pursue vigorously.

“I initiated the policy of Local Content to get as much as possible local fabrications to develop our oil and gas sector and I am happy that Lee Engineering has key into the policy and is doing so well.

” One thing is to create an opportunity, another thing is to get people that will understand and grab the opportunity and make the policy a success.

“Those who have the courage, vision and understanding that we cannot be a developed country unless we invest in our own country must be encouraged.

” When we started the policy we were expecting indigenous Nigerians, who will take advantages of it and establish facilities like this.

“What I see today is a cutting-edge of technology, welding, building fabrication,” he said.

Earlier, the Chairman, of Lee Engineering Construction Construction, Leemon Ikpea said the company was 100 per cent Nigeria company in oil and gas, adding that it was now 26 years old.

He said the aim was to provide among other things, employment and also reduce huge cost in importation of foreign materials.

“We observed that most of the facilities used by the IOCs are imported so we decided to build our local capacity,” he said.

The Acting governor of Delta, Mr Kingsley Otuaro commended the company for the good job.