Petroleum Commission explore more avenues to develop capacities of Ghanaians

Mr Egbert Faibille Jnr, Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, has 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 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.

SAIT, one of North America's oldest and leading technical institutions, houses the MacPhail School of Energy which provides simulated-based training across all aspects of the oil and gas value chain.

As a publicly funded polytechnic institute located in Calgary Alberta, SAIT is known to deliver training programmes that exposes students to advanced technology and equipment required in the industry.

Therefore, through the exchange being sought by the Petroleum Commission, which also falls within 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.

During the visit, Mr. Faibille and his team held discussions with the academic leaders at the SAIT.

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 and Mr. Kwaku Boateng, Director of Local Content at the Petroleum Commission.