Petroleum Commission partners TTU to train youth in oil and gas

The Petroleum Commission and Takoradi Technical University (TTU) have signed a GHC3.5 million agreement to train Ghanaian youth to boost local content in the upstream oil and gas sector. 

The Accelerated Oil and Gas Capacity training programme (AOGC) forms part of the government’s strategic agenda to localise most of the expatriate roles for Ghanaians to play a critical role in the production and management of oil and gas resources in the country.

Signing the pact, Egbert Faibille Jnr., chief executive officer of the Petroleum Commission, said 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 by Ghanaians.

“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 take up critical roles in the efficient management of Ghana’s petroleum resources,” he added.

He said the high cost of importing expatriate workers continue to hurt revenue generation of the country, hence the introduction of the AOGC.  

Faibille said the Petroleum Commission would ensure sustainable and equitable distribution of gains from the oil and gas resource to benefit all Ghanaians.

On his part, Prof. John Frank Eshun, vice-chancellor of Takoradi Technical University, commended the Petroleum Commission for its commitment in giving the opportunity to more Ghanaians to play meaningful roles in the upstream petroleum sector. 

Prof. Eshun was very optimistic that the partnership will 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. 

World-class facility

“Takoradi Technical University is committed to supporting the Commission to develop its technical capacity by giving the trainees the requisite training and exposure that will help them participate in petroleum and the allied industries in one of the best training facilities on the African continent, the Jubilee Training Centre at TTU. 

“It is equipped with the state-of-the-art industrial replicated oil and gas learning environment to give the best skills and competencies to the trainees,” he added.

Prof. Eshun assured the commission and the general public that the trainees will receive world-class training from internationally certified lecturers with the needed critical skills and competencies to enable them to take commanding roles in the petroleum and its allied industries. 

“The Jubilee Technical Training Centre was strategically established by the university and the jubilee partners to oversee the training of Ghanaians with knowledge and skills in the exploration, production and management of the oil and gas resources to help the socio-economic development of Ghana”, he said. 

* Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.

Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995

#asaaseradio #TVOL