The Group Managing Director (GMD) of MG VowGas Limited, Mr. Godwin Izomor, has said indigenous firms in Nigeria have the capacity to handle construction and fabrication projects.
Mr. Izomor made the disclosure at the unveiling of MG VowGas Limited Port Harcourt ultra-modern, fully computerized industrial complex.
The GMD said MG VowGas, as an indigenous construction, fabrication, oil and gas services company, is saddled with the commitment to enhance local capacity and provide competent indigenous workforce for the nation’s oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy.
“MG VowGas Limited aims to be a force and significant player, across the entire value chain of the oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical, industrial and construction industry in Africa and beyond,” he said.
While speaking during a facility tour of the industrial complex in Rivers state yesterday, Mr. Izomor said the formidable team at MG VowGas Limited is predicated on the fact that its personnel has experience and capabilities to handle projects of diverse complexity and magnitude.
“We have the capability of handling projects requiring millions of man hours in areas of engineering, global procurement, construction and installation.
“Our team of principal participants has successfully completed highly diverse construction projects in various locations in the areas of oil and gas pipeline facilities, design verification and construction as per all mechanical, electrical, civil works, erosion and flood control works etc.
“MG VowGas Limited has a very strong financial base with the capability of mobilizing on any project at short notice,” he said.
Mr. Izomor said his company is positioned to reduce capital flight out of the country.
Mr. Izomor urged the federal government to ensure policies are put in place to checkmate the outflow of fabrication projects out of the country.
“The industry is not being checkmated by our own people, that IOCs would give flimsy excuses to take little jobs available out of the country.
“Before now, this rack, they import them from abroad to Nigeria, badges and tugboats were imported from Europe and America to Nigeria, in the flimsy excuse that Nigeria doesn’t have the capacity.
“But today we build a lot of equipment without any assistance from anybody, the badges, and the tugboats, we use now in Nigeria are built here in Nigeria.
“So, it is for the government to support the local companies to deliberately insist that all jobs should be domiciled here in the country,” he said.
He said the new complex is employing over 120 personnel, and that when there is an ongoing project, the complex can employ over 500 personnel, including contract staffs.
Speaking on quality assurance, the GMD said before any company goes through a bidding process, IOCs always insist on quality.
“Without the quality process, you can’t pass a bid to win a job,” he said.
Mr. Izomor said no fabrication yard in Nigeria is having the types of equipment MG VowGas Limited is having, stressing that anybody can go round to contest it.
TheNewsGuru reports that MG VowGas Limited is equipped with modern computerized facilities ranging from plasma cutting machine, drilling machines, milling machines, automatic and manual welding machines to forklifts, cranes/overhead cranes, and more.
“We are expecting two major machines: the flanging machine and the 200 tonnes furnace, which is having the capacity of 1600 degrees centigrade.
“Till today, we still import the flanges from India, and from other countries, but we are the only company that is going to have the flanging machine in Nigeria.
“We have the plasma cutting machine that can cut up to 200mm thickness or plate, we have the rolling machine that can roll 200mm thickness plate, we have an automated welding machine (three of them) that can weld steel, aluminum, and stainless,” Izomor noted.
He said that there technical expertise resident within the complex to give assistance to local capacity to ensure that outputs meet international standard, adding that the company is ISO 9001 certified.
He also urged the government to tackle the problem of electricity, security, and issues bothering on lack of funding.
He said to reduce cost of providing security for oil and gas facilities in the country, the government should renegotiate with different ethnic groups agitating for different reasons.
MG VowGas Limited, incorporated in 2006, started operations in 2009; the newly unveiled industrial complex, situated in Woji, is housing an administrative building, a clinic, a HSE office, 2 warehouses, 4 workshops, a docking yard for ships, and a training centre.
>>Here are photos from the facility tour