Oil Producers to partner PTI for manpower development

The Oil Producers Trade Section, OPTS, has promised to join hands  with the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State in order to develop manpower needed in the changes in the oil industry in Africa. 

This was revealed weekend during a visit of OPTS officials led by Mr. Gweke Ajaifia, Executive Director, Oil Producers Trace Section to PTI management.

In his welcome speech, the Acting Principal of the PTI, Engr. Dr. Samuel E. Onoji expressed the readiness of PTI for the partnership.

Onoji represented by the Dr. (Mrs.) Tina Olubukola Isichei, the Director of Research and Development took the visitors through the various capacity and research the institution had achieved in the past 50 years.

According to Isichei:"PTI has led in research and consultancy in oil and gas technology to produce technicians and other skilled personnel in the industry not only in Nigeria, but across Africa. 

"And indeed the reason for the establishment of the institute was part of the requirements of the country to the fans of OPEC as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

"Now our mission is to become the leading oil and gas Technological Institute in Africa while our mission is to provide competent technological manpower, to quality training, research and consultancy for the pendulum and allied industries. 

"Now, we have been in this business for over 50 years. We celebrated our Golden Jubilee in 2022. And I must say that we have produced more than 50,000 technologists, technicians, and other technical personnel in various areas in the oil and gas and allied industries." She added.

In his speech, Ajaifia said: "I am very impressed with the visit to the Petroleum Training Institute. OPTS is a partner with the people of Nigeria in terms of the oil and gas business and we are supportive of Nigerian content. We are supportive of developing competence in the oil and gas operations. 

"So our visit today has actually shown the high degree of capacity and potential that the Petroleum Institute have in helping to bridge the gap we see in competence and capacity within the oil and gas industry.

"We are going to work with the school authority to try to find ways of helping the industry to develop that needed capacity, not only for Nigeria, but also for the rest of Africa. 

"We see a lot of potentials  in this institution and we are going to do our best to support PTI as a major capacity hub in oil and gas industry.

"Today is like a homecoming for me. And I believe that there is there's more opportunity to develop leaders for the future in this country. 

"Now PTI has actually contributed a lot to the quality of leadership we have in the oil and gas industry. A lot of the graduates of these Institute's are in high places in the country, some have developed their own businesses that are highly successful. 

"And I think that what we need to do is to support the institution in terms of funding  so that they can take the linear role in terms of research, because we need research to be able to develop that level of independence. 

"You know, if you don't have independence, then you are not here. So PTI has the potential to lead in terms of research and development in our sector. And I think providing them with the required funding, and also opportunity, the school will go to higher places, "he stated.