Siemens has allayed the fears that local companies may lose out it in the proposed Presidential Power Initiatives (PPI) as the German company said any Nigerian firmed that has proved itself worthy and capable would be carried along.
The company said the concern expressed by local contractors as to whether they would be not involved in the project is a very valid one stating however that the success of this type of work would depend on collaboration with local contractors.
Speaking exclusively to BusinessDay Oladayo Orolu, head of Business and Government Affairs, Siemens Energy Nigeria and also the coordinator of Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), said even though the President, Muhammadu Buhari has given the company the permission to select the EPC contractors it would want to work with, local companies would certainly not be left out when considering the companies in the course of the project.
He said the government has given the company the opportunity to do the selection because it wants to make sure that the project is executed from an end to an end.
“We do not want a situation whereby Siemens manufacture their equipment, shipped to Nigeria and when it gets to the port it remains stranded, nobody to takes it up, nobody to takes it to the site or receive it at the site. We want everything to be done seamlessly”.
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He said when they worked in Egypt they worked with some EPC companies such as Elseweddy and several other local companies.
“You know we are an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) company and there are so many things involved in this project that we cannot do on our own.
“We have been in Nigeria for 50 years and have worked with several local engineering companies. We have partners among them. In our oil and gas division, we have local partners, in Azura, we worked with several Nigerian Engineering firms, some are international but based in Nigeria, some are Nigerian owned enterprises that we have worked together depending on their capabilities.”
He said in the company’s projects there are things they don’t do. Things like civil works are not done by Siemens. He explained that what the government has done is that, it said, Siemens go ahead and choose whom you want stating that the company is going to support the government just to make sure that it gets the right quality, expertise.
The company he said has interviewed many Nigerian firms that have brought proposals on account of this project. There are several opportunities in this project for Nigerian engineers either individuals or groups.
Also in terms of installation, commissioning, civil works, site investigations, and all of that, these are the opportunities ahead for Nigerians.
He asked: “How would a company execute a project of this magnitude with almost all 200 substations for Dicos and you will not work with Nigerian firms. It is not possible
