From Joseph Obukata (The New Diplomat’s N’Delta Correspondent)
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has shut down four Offshore Safety Training Centres operating in Port-Harcourt and Warri over violation of its guidelines for renewal of permit to operate licence.
The four Training Centres, including two operated by Opeans Nigeria Limited in Warri and Port Harcourt were shut down for not meeting the requirement for issuance of training permit.
Others are Safety Center International Limited operating in Port Harcourt, JC International Limited in Port Harcourt and Emergency Response Services Limited, also in Port Harcourt.
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It was learnt that the centres including those of Opeans Nigeria Limited in Warri and Port Harcourt were shut down due to the failure of the companies to meet the DPR requirement for operating such Offshore Safety and Emergency Response training centres in Nigeria.
According to check on the DPR’s website, Opeans Nigeria Limited accreditation expired 11th of May, 2020; Safety Center International Limited licence expired since 14th of May, 2018; JC International Limited in Port Harcourt expired 20, March, 2020 while that of Emergency Response Services Limited expired 20, March, 2020.
The New Diplomat, learnt that the DPR, however, renewed the accreditation of six other Offshore Safety Training Centers operating in Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt after the companies fully met the DPR requirement for operating Offshore Safety and Emergency Response training centres in Nigeria.
Among the centres which met DPR’s requirement in Port Harcourt are; Tolmann Allied Services Company Limited, (with approval expiry date 12th May, 2021), Charkins Maritime Safety Training Center (1st March, 2021) and Kaygrill Services Nigeria Limited (24th, March, 2021).
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The two offshore training centres in Lagos state, Falck Prime Atlantic Limited and Blisston Nigeria Limited with licence expiring 26, July 2021 were also certified.
Lym Consults Offshore Training Centre which has up to 25, June, 2021 was the only centre accredited and approved in Warri, Delta state.
According to report in BIGPEN, DPR licensed the training centres to offer courses like Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET), Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET), Further Offshore Emergency Training (FOET), Basic Firefighting; Basic First Aid; Helicopter Underwater among others.
In a letter addressed to one of the Managing Director of the centres which failed to meet specific requirement for approval, DPR said they failed to comply with its Guideline and Procedure for Travel to Offshore/Swamp Location and Obtainment of Offshore Safety Permit.
The DPR Guideline and Procedure for Travel to Offshore/Swamp Location and Obtainment of Offshore Safety Permit, which took effect in June 2019, stated clearly the mandatory requirements that Operators of Offshore Safety and Emergency Response Training Centres must strictly adhere.
The DPR’s Director/CEO, Engr. Sarki Auwalu had previously stated during a webinar session with the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN), that the DPR is passionate about entrenching competence and capacity in the Oil and Gas training space.
He was quoted to have said that the agency would be cautious in granting of permits to training organisations to checkmate quackery, saying, “we are trying to check quackery”.
It would be recalled that the Delta State Government had in July, 2020 shut down Opeans Nigeria Limited owned Offshore Safety Training in Warri for failure to produce its accreditation to operate in the State.
Meanwhile, when contacted on Phone, the Warri Comptroller of DPR, Antai Asoquo confirmed the report, saying he can only speak about the centres not accredited in Warri.
He said, “I act in Warri. I am not in Port Harcourt, so I can only speak for Warri. We went there (Opeans Nigeria Limited Offshore Training Centre in Warri) for accreditation and they did not meet our requirements. So the DPR has not given them permit to operate in Warri”, he added.
