Egbert Faibille (2nd right) and Rev. Prof. Eshun (2nd left) signing the agreement)
The management of Takoradi Technical University (TTU) and Petroleum Commission of Ghana have signed a GH¢3.5 million agreement to train Ghanaian youth in the upstream oil and gas sector to boost local content in the oil and gas and its allied industries.
The accelerated oil and gas capacity training programme (AOGC) forms part of government’s strategic agenda to localise most of the expatriate roles for Ghanaians.
The trainees will be taken through instrumentation engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, process engineering and health & safety.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Petroleum Commission, Egbert Faibille Jnr., explained that the AOGC programme is part of efforts to ensure that gaps in competency requirements and skills needed for employment in the upstream petroleum sector are filled.
“This would be done by deliberately training interested Ghanaians to equip them with such skills set to guarantee availability of human expertise to participate in the upstream petroleum sector.
“The Commission is committed to the local content objectives and therefore will collaborate with local institutions in areas of skills development and the transfer of technical know-how to allow more Ghanaians to take up critical roles in the efficient management of Ghana’s petroleum resources,” he added.
According to him, the programme is also aimed at cutting down the cost in bringing expatriates to the country in order to support the developmental agenda of Ghana.
He assured stakeholders of the Commission’s resolve to ensure sustainable and equitable distribution of gains from the oil and gas resource to benefit Ghanaians.
The Vice-Chancellor of TTU, Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun, commended the Commission for their commitment in giving opportunity to more Ghanaians to play meaningful roles in the upstream petroleum industry through the government’s AOGC programme.
Rev. Prof. Eshun was optimistic that the partnership would yield the needed results and change the fortunes of the country to reap the full benefit in the production and management of the country’s oil and gas resources.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi