…as DG local content Ijidale highlights benefits of policy
By Precious Oham
The Director-General, Ekiti State Bureau of Local Content, Olalekan Ijidale has called on contractors handling projects in the State to support the shared prosperity vision of Governor Biodun Oyebanji by implementing the Ekiti State Local Content Law.
This is as the Commissioner for Finance, Oyebode confirmed that only contractors with clearance certificates from the Local Content Office will get financial backing.
At the one-day workshop on Implementation of Ekiti State Local Content Law 2024, organized by the Ekiti State Bureau of Local Content, it was agreed that the local content law must be obeyed by all
Addressing the gathering, the DG Bureau of Local Content, Lekan Ijidale said the office was established by the administration of Governor Oyebanji with the sole aim of achieving sustainable development through inclusion and optimal utilization of local workforce and resources in the State.
Ijidale, who spoke on the ‘Roles of Contractors in the Implementation of Local Content Law in Ekiti State’ tasked the contractors to ensure the full compliance of environmental, ethical/human rights and economic responsibilities towards the development of their host communities.
He called on the contractors to implement the following local content; identify and develop local resources, create an enabling environment, promoting local procurement, develop local skills and capacity.
Others are; foster partnerships and collaborations, diversify the economy and monitor and evaluate progress.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, Dayo Apata, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, S.B.J Bamise delivered a paper on the overview of Ekiti State Local Content Law.
He said that the sole aim of the Ekiti State Local Content, which was signed into law by Governor Oyebanji stipulates that “a company must drive a certain amount of the final value of a good or service from domestic firms, either by purchasing from local company or by manufacturing or developing the good or services locally.”
The Commissioner for Justice, who spoke extensively on the provisions of the Local Content Law said that the full implementation of the law will bring food to the table of people of the State and the shared prosperity agenda of the governor.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun said that the full implementation of the law will bring about growth of the people that will in-turn signify economic growth of the State.
He noted that Governor Oyebanji is desirous in ensuring that they create jobs for the people and create opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers.
According to him, “the governor promised to make Ekiti more prosperous, economic buoyant and the people’s growth. He wants to be known as the people’s governor.
“Let us take advantage of this great opportunity provided by Governor Oyebanji through our individual and collective determination to support him to achieve individual and collective development of Ekiti State.”
The event attracted top government functionaries, contractors handling projects in the State, representative of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, young indigenous contractors, among others.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Akin Oyebode, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry said that they will collaborate with the Bureau to ensure strict compliance.
He added that a Compliance Certificate will be the compulsory document that will be issued by the Bureau of Local Content for contractors to access their payments through the Ministry.
Also, the Special Adviser/Director General, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery, OTSD, in the State, John Moyo Ekundayo insisted that local contractors must be duly patronized and the use of local resources and workforce to execute projects.
He added that; “The local workforce is very key to this administration so that the local people can be patronized. You need to have an elaborate robust monitoring and learning team. If we don’t monitor and see compliance, there won’t be need for our gathering. We need to engage with the people to promote entrepreneurship.”
In the same vein, the Commissioner for Works, Adesola Adebayo reiterated the need for local content as a criteria for contract bidding saying that the certificate of local content will become a criteria for contract bidding.