By Wilson Macaulay
Effurun, Delta State
The Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), under the leadership of Executive Director Mr. Gweke Ajaifia, has pledged to collaborate with the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) ,Effurun, Delta State for the institute to be able to do more in line with the objective of its founding fathers.
Mr Gweke Ajaifia who spoke at the Governing Council Chambers disclosed that the partnership aims to enhance PTI's manpower training capabilities and provide relevant resource materials to boost the institute's training capacity.
He noted in his speech that PTI is recognized as Nigeria's foremost oil and gas training center and he is impressed with the success story of PTI as a center of excellence hence the willingness of OPTS to be part of the success story of PTI through the visit and the subsequent collaborative efforts lined up to be implemented accordingly.
Speaking further, Mr. Ajaifia, an alumnus of PTI, highlighted the purpose of his visit with emphasis to include a robust discussion with PTI management to identify areas where OPTS could assist in training and capacity building.
The collaboration he said,will also extend to providing necessary resource materials to facilitate the development of PTI's personnel who train the students.
Mr. Ajaifia expressed OPTS's interest in partnering with PTI for research and development initiatives. This collaboration is intended to bolster Nigeria's local production capacity, aligning with the local content policies promoted by the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board. He assured PTI management that OPTS's involvement would significantly enhance their efforts.
The visiting OPTS boss said he was impressed with the progress PTI has made, as evidenced by a presentation from Dr. Tina Isichei, who represented the Principal of PTI. He affirmed PTI's status as a center of excellence in oil and gas training because of the various milestone achievements of PTI over the years.
Dr. Samuel Onoji, MNSE, the Acting Principal and Chief Executive Officer of PTI, represented by Dr. Tina Isichei, welcomed Mr. Ajaifia's visit. In her welcome address, Dr. Tina Isichei noted that the collaboration would positively impact PTI, particularly in the areas of training, research, and consultancy, which requires substantial funding.
Dr lsichei reiterated PTI's commitment to developing competent manpower, as per its founding mission in 1972, to serve not only as the training ground for Nigeria's petroleum industry but also the broader African continent using global standards and skills.
Dr. Isichei highlighted PTI's 50-year history and its recent achievements, including adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging online facilities for knowledge sharing and dissemination. She emphasized PTI's role as a real-time online trainer through collaborations with relevant educational and industrial bodies.
She also pointed out PTI's extensive training of personnel from various companies in the oil and gas sector, such as the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO). Additionally, PTI recently hosted a delegation from the Uganda National Oil Company in June 2024 to discuss mentorship for Uganda's emerging petroleum sector.
In summation, Dr. Isichei thanked Mr. Ajaifia for his visit and underscored the importance of partnership between PTI and OPTS. She stressed that collaboration in training, research, and consultancy services is vital for the continued growth and development of Nigeria's oil and gas industries.
