Ghana Petroleum Authority, PTI Partner For Increased Capacity 

Sylvester Idowu in Warri 

A high-level delegation from Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has visited the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, to explore a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening technical capacity in Ghana’s oil and gas sector.

The visit to the PTI was said to be a part of Ghana’s plans to build its own centre of excellence for petroleum training by drawing on Nigeria’s over five decades of experience in hydrocarbon manpower development.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Principal and Chief Executive of PTI, Dr. Samuel Onoji, the Director of Research and Development, Dr. Tina Isechei, said the Institute was ready to establish a mutually beneficial partnership with Ghana.

While describing the visit as timely and critical for regional solidarity in Africa’s petroleum industry, Isechei noted that PTI was established in 1972 to develop technical manpower for Nigeria’s emergence as a major player in OPEC and the global oil industry, adding, “The Institute has trained over 50,000 personnel who are now contributing significantly to the industry in Nigeria and beyond.

”PTI is ready and glad to be of help to the Ghana National Petroleum Authority in every conceivable way, having gathered the expertise over the 54 years of the institute’s existence”.

Isechei noted that PTI’s curriculum is certified by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and supported by specialised facilities and experienced instructors. She listed the Institute’s key strength areas to include welding and fabrication, drilling and well control, National Skills Qualification (NSQ) certification, Skills Development Academy, firefighting, underwater welding, and research clusters.

‎She also invited the delegation to participate in PTI’s Annual International Conference on Hydrocarbon Science and Technology, which has promoted manpower development since 2023, and assured them of a guided tour of the Institute’s training facilities.

‎Leader of the Ghanaian delegation and Director of Research at Ghana’s NPA, Dr. Joseph Wilson, in his response, described the engagement as enlightening.

‎He said Ghana deliberately chose Nigeria as a senior partner in its quest for capacity development, citing longstanding bilateral ties and the need for stronger African cooperation.

‎”Nigeria, being our big brother, became our desired destination for us to seek technical assistance to set up our own centre of excellence,” Wilson said.

He added that the proposed collaboration would cover legal frameworks, technical assistance, stakeholder engagement, consultancy services, human capital development and capacity building.