Special topics
Ghanaian students have been urged to explore the numerous opportunities offered by the oil and gas industry.
An official of the Local Content Department of the Petroleum Commission, Mr Mohammed Kapeon, gave the advice at the first-ever oil and gas conference for students in Accra.
The summit, organised by the Youth Empowerment and Advocacy Programme (YEAP), an NGO, brought together graduates and undergraduates from various tertiary institutions in the country.
Speaking on the theme, “The Petroleum Commission’s mandate: Key to sustaining local content relevance and benefits in Ghana, now and in the future”. Mr Kapeon said the department was mandated to protect local content and participation in petroleum activities.
“The commission has discharged its obligations creditably and will continue to do so for as long as the oil and gas industry exists,” he said.
To engender sustainable local content, Mr Kapeon indicated that the commission would ensure that many qualified and competent Ghanaians were employed in the industry, adding that “Many Ghanaians employed in the industry receive mandatory and continuing training needed for their various roles.”
He also said the local content policy would ensure that very soon goods and services would be provided by Ghanaians only.
Mr Kapeon indicated that the commission would collaborate with industries and institutions of higher learning and research to build the capacity of locals.
That, he believed, would build the capacity of Ghanaians in the industry to compete with foreign investors.
A project officer at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Mr Michael Tawiah, said local companies had limited capacity to deliver services required.
He called on indigenous Ghanaian companies to position themselves for business and entrepreneurial activities in the petroleum industry.
