‘PTI Can Train Required Personnel in Oil  Sector’

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nicholas Agbo Ella, has stated that the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Effurun, Delta State, has all it takes to train the required personnel for the oil and gas industry in the country.

He, therefore, called for a consolidation of the mandate of the foremost oil and gas training institute in Africa, which has produced over 50,000 graduates since its establishment more than 50 years ago.

Speaking last weekend at Effurun, Delta State, while on a working visit to the institute, the permanent secretary said Nigeria must not fail to utilise PTI maximally.

Ella said: “We must consolidate on achieving the full potential in the institute instead of creating another petroleum institute.

“I feel very proud that we have an Institute like this. I have said it earlier and I will reiterate that we cannot have a Petroleum Training Institute of this magnitude in Nigeria and fail to utilise it.”

While lamenting the huge loss of revenue incurred on foreign training, Ella stated that PTI has the capacity to train and retrain oil workers in Nigeria.

He added: “Training is essential for all of us as individuals and as an organisation. We should be able to develop ourselves and our capacities as well as enhance our productivity.

“PTI has all it takes to train all oil workers in Nigeria, and I don’t see why we cannot train locally in PTI and save our scarce resources. I have told our colleagues in the sector that we must patronise the Petroleum Training Institute.

“At the ministry level, we will push up the level of collaboration we desire. This is achievable if we unite and work as a team. We will speak with GMD of Nigeria Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) and other sister agencies in the Ministry of Petroleum.

“PTI needs to move beyond where it is presently. This is the only Petroleum Training Institute we have in the country, and we will not allow it to fail in discharging its responsibility.”

There was a recent move by the current National Assembly to establish another Petroleum Training Institute in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State, but the ministry permanent secretary stated that there was no need for it, declaring that: “We should rather channel the resources to PTI Effurun and turn it around so that it can perform better.

“We don’t need to establish any other institution of this nature in Nigeria. We should work harder to enhance what we have here by improving the capacity of the personnel. If people find it difficult to come down to Effurun for the training, we can actually conduct the training at the Public Service Institute in Abuja under the umbrella of PTI.

“PTI certification is recognised globally, so why will I go and train my personnel in a lesser institution outside the country when we have a better and well-equipped organisation that can handle such training locally with just a little resource. Let’s work together to give maximum cooperation to the management of PTI.”

On the purpose of his visit to the Institute, the permanent secretary said: “My main visit today is firstly to encourage the acting Principal/Chief Executive, Dr. Samuel Onoji, and the entire members of staff to pursue professionalism, because, with that, they will be able to be on top of their game in the development of the oil and gas industry.

“Secondly, I am here to encourage the Institute’s management to create room for inclusion in other programmes of studies outside what they are currently doing. The energy sector is your primary domain, we want you to push harder to develop other competencies.

“The institute, as you are all aware, is the heart of research for the oil and gas sector of the economy. PTI is a reputed citadel of all technological knowledge and we will continue to give it all the necessary support it deserves.

“I want to assure you today that the two Ministers of State Petroleum Resources (Oil) and (Gas) have shown great interest and commitment in repositioning PTI, and I sincerely call on all Nigerians, especially the policymakers to look inward to harness the potential of the Institute.”

On lack of patronage of sister agencies, he promised to continue to engage the president and other stakeholders on the issue, adding: “We will continue to give you all the necessary support. The facilities of the Institute are dilapidating, but we will continue to engage. We will explore all options going forward, we will find a way to attract international support for the Institute.”

While commending the Institute management for what they have done over the years, he prayed for a well-positioned Institute, saying: “We look forward to seeing a better PTI in the coming years.

“We will continue to lobby the National Assemble for adequate funding for the Institute. There is a need to fund the petroleum industry, we are looking for a way to draw international attention.

“I am currently championing the establishment of the African Energy Bank, when this is achieved, it will enhance our work in research and development and investment in the oil and gas industry.”