NLNG, Samsung Train 57 Nigerian Engineers in South Korea

FINANCIAL INCLUSION: GTBANK, ETISALAT TARGET 55BN UNBANKED NIGERIANS and CEO of GTB, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “We are passionate about driving the CBN’s financial inclusion strategy in ensuring the underbanked and unbanked, begin to find the propositions of banking services more attractive and convenient and then take the bold step of patronising our numerous bank products and offerings, a passion which we fully share with Etisalat Nigeria.

“This is a new chapter in the continuing growth of the banking industry, made possible through GTEasy Savers by GTB and Etisalat Nigeria. Enabling account opening via an Etisalat phone, will make it more convenient for individuals to carryout transactions, using the transformative power of the banking system,” Etisalat CEO, Matthew Willsher, said. He added, “We will continue to offer innovative products and services in fulfillment of the promise we made to Nigeria over six years ago when we commence operations in the country. The partnership will also begin a journey for unbanked customers from our over 22 million subscriber base.”

Registered subscribers of Etisalat network can conveniently open a GTEasySavers account by simply dialing a short codec *737*0# via their mobile phones and a ten digit GTBank account number is sent via SMS immediately. Funding of the account can be done be done by cash deposits at Etisalat Experience Centres and GTBank branches; electronic transfers from otter bank accounts; cash deposit ATMs at GTBank branches and GTB Express Agent locations. As part of efforts to promote the local content policy of the federal government in the oil and gas sector, Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria (SHI) and the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), have completed the training of 57 Nigerian youths at the SHI Shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.

The youths, who arrived Nigeria on Sunday, were taught naval architecture, ship design, fabrication and fittings, electrical installation, mechanical and maintenance, erections and scaffolding among other areas.

Speaking on the training programme, the General Manager, Samsung Heavy Industries in Nigeria, Mr. Frank Ejizu said the company was determined to grow local capacity through an intensive training programme expected to build the capacity of local engineers Ejizu further stated that efforts are being made to select another set of 60 Nigerians for the next round of training in South Korea by July this year.

“Samsung in December last year in collaboration with Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) decided to train some Nigerians in ship building and all aspect of ship development. Since then, they have been in South Korea for the training and we came here today to welcome them after a successful training,” he said.

Ejizu stated that the training has contributed immensely to improving their knowledge, “because it is purely a capacity building exercise, now that they are back home, we will assist to absorb them into various aspects of the job”.

Ejizu said Samsung and NLNG decided to fill the gap through the training programme, adding that they also expected to do more of such trainings to encourage more Nigerians in the oil and gas sector.

He, however, described it as a pre- training, adding that many more people will be trained in Nigeria when the planned training centre in Nigeria is completed.

On the part of NLNG, the training was one aspect of Ni- geria LNG’s inclusion of a local content clause in its contract with shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for the building of six new vessels costing $1.6 billion for Bonny Gas Transport (BGT), NLNG’s shipping subsidiary.

NLNG Limited had said the need to build local capacity in the field of shipbuilding informed its decision to send 57 Ni gerians to South Korea for the training.

NLNG’s General Man ager, External Relations, Mr. Kudo Eresia-Eke, said the company’s goal in helping to attain the objective of the Ni gerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICD) 2010, equally informed its decision to take the giant stride.

In his remarks, the Team Leader, Jamiu Suleiman, said they achieved the training objectives and even surpassed expectations.

“We have been certified by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

Our trainers did not hide anything from us on structural engineering in ship building, so we can deliver services to international standards now,” he said.

Samsung Heavy is an industry giant in the building of Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs), LNG FPSOs, production platforms, Drillship Rigs and other special offshore vessels.