Ghana’s Upstream Regulator has reiterated its commitment of positioning and building the capacities of local industry players in the upstream sector.
Chief Executive Officer for the Petroleum Commission, Mr Egbert Faibille Jnr stated this when he led a section of the Ghanaian delegation to visit the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) to explore possible exchange programmes for Ghanaian students and technicians.
The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is a polytechnic institute in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. SAIT offers more than 100 career programs in technology, trades and business. SAIT is a member of Polytechnics Canada and one of Alberta’s Top 50 Employers. Established in 1916, it is Calgary’s second oldest post-secondary institution and Canada’s first publicly funded technical institute.
The visit by the delegation, which is attending the Global Petroleum Show in Canada, forms part of the side-line events being organised alongside the three-day Show.
According to Mr. Faibille it is, through some of these exchange programmes by the Commission, under the Accelerated Oil and Gas Capacity (AOGC) programme of the Government of Ghana, the Ghanaian students and technicians seeking to make an impact in the country’s upstream petroleum industry would soon have that goal fulfilled.
The Government through the AOGC that was established in 2017, intended to enhance the capacities of Ghanaians to enable them work in the oil and gas sector, through the training in various technical and vocational institutions. They are also expected to gain internationally recognized training certificates, while business and management training would be provided to Small and Medium Enterprises to ensure continues professional development of employees of various public institutions connected to the oil and gas industry.
The Commission, the country’s upstream regulator, through the exchange, was considering strategies that would ensure that Ghanaian graduates and technicians were thoroughly equipped to play key roles in the industry.
Mr. Faibille revealed that the delegation had fruitful deliberations with particularly the academic leadership of and his team held discussions with the academic leaders of Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
He said the Commission seeks to develop similar simulated-based training across selected technical institutions in Ghana, and it was being anticipated that the creation of such academic models would gradually prepare Ghanaians to take on critical roles in the industry.
Among the team of Ghanaian officials who visited the SAIT premises included Mr George Mireku Duker, the Vice Chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, Mr. Kenneth Owusu, Technical Advisor at the National Development Planning Commission, Dr. Jemima Nunoo, Board member at the Petroleum Commission , Mr. Kwaku Boateng, Director of Local Content at the Petroleum Commission, Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Wilson Arthur District Chief Executive for Wassa East and Ken Gilbert Asmah Tarkwa-Nsueam Municipal Chief.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Emmanuel Ohene Gyan