Takoradi Technical University to establish Centre of Excellence in Petroleum Engineering in 2020

In its effort to help Ghana achieve its 90 percent Petroleum Local Content target in the shortest possible time, the Takoradi Technical University (TTU), is set to establish a Centre of Excellence in Oil and Gas Engineering next academic year to train specialized expertise for the petroleum sector.

The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Reverend Professor John Frank Eshun, announced this at the University's fourth congregation on Saturday.

Reverend Professor Eshun said the Centre will roll out three petroleum programs and the university in preparation has already sent out two lecturers for further studies.

“Takoradi Technical University will establish a Centre of Excellence in Oil and Gas Engineering next academic year as its niche area to drive economic growth. The Centre will aim at bringing together all the players in the oil and gas industry to work towards the common goal of introducing cutting edge programmes in technologies and research in the oil and gas sector. Plans are underway to mount new 4-years bachelor programmes in Petroleum Engineering, Welding Technology, Gas and Plumbing Technology etc. As part of the effort to build the capacity of our staff, the Petroleum Commission was instrumental in securing a scholarship for two members of staff. They were among five Ghanaians now in Canada under training in stainless steel welding at the prestigious Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton.”

“The training is being financed from a USD 250,000 facility by Baker Hughes and General Electric Company in the oil and gas service industry. We have also signed MoU /with Lone Star College in Houston, USA, one of the leading oil and gas certification universities in the United State of America to train staff in onshore and offshore welding. This partnership will make TTU one of the internationally accredited institutions to award certified certificates in offshore and onshore welding in Sub-Saharan Africa. This will enable them to play a critical role in the oil and gas industry. TTU is poised to spearhead other related training programmes to improve the human resource in the oil and gas industry in anticipation of the achievement of the 90% local content agenda”, he added.

The Vice-Chancellor also said TTU will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Western Regional Coordinating Council that will see TTU fix and maintain traffic lights in the region.

“One of the cardinal objectives of the existence of any university is to undertake research which is geared towards bringing development to the community thereby making the lives of the people better. It is for this reason that Takoradi Technical University, through its Electricals and Electronics Department of Faculty of Engineering, is about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council to develop, install and maintain traffic lights services within the metropolis where there are currently no traffic lights. I believe when this project finally kicks off, we shall all see an improved traffic situation in our city to befit its status as the Oil-city.”

On her part, the TTU Council Chairperson, Dr. Mrs. Henrietta Abane, who led the confirmation of degrees, HNDs, and certificates on the graduates said the University is focused on training graduates who will compete effectively at the global level.

Dr. Mrs. Abane further urged graduates to recognize the value of hard work if they are to succeed.

At the ceremony, the university conferred degrees, Higher National Diplomas (HND) and certificates to 2, 414 deserving graduands who had successfully completed their programmes of study in the 2018/2019 academic year from the school’s six faculties.

Out of the number, 348 were awarded Bachelor of Technology Degrees, 1,784 received Higher National Diplomas while 76 were conferred with CILT Certificates.

42 were also awarded Non-tertiary Diplomas, with 184 graduands receiving HND Competency-Based Training (CBT) in Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering and Interior Design Technology certificate from the National Board for Professional and Technician Examination (NABPTEX).

In all, 48 Bachelor of Technology Degree awardees obtained First Class while 80 HND graduates also obtained First Class.

The outstanding graduates received citations, computers and cash prizes