The Petroleum Commission is leading efforts aimed at establishing a Welding Institute in Ghana to be affiliated to an International Welding body. The move comes on the back of a meeting held between Management of the Commission, Welding training Institutions and the Ghana Institute of Engineers pursuant to the objectives of the Accelerated Oil & Gas Capacity (AOGC) Programme.
The meeting among others brought to the fore some of the key issues and challenges confronting Ghana’s welding industry. A team of experts made up of Engineers and Academics from selected welding training institutions under the co-ordination of the AOGC secretariat have been looking at the way forward in terms Ghana’s preparedness to train and certify internationally recognised welders.
The team earlier this week visited the Kikam Technical Institute, Takoradi Technical Institute and the Regional Maritime University. They also visited the School of Railways & Infrastructure Development and the Ghana Atomic Energy Welding Centre. These visits gave the team a first-hand assessment of these institutions in terms of their welding infrastructure, facilities, equipment and technology. The team also ascertained the capacity of these centres to meet international standards as well as their Health, Safety & Environmental conditions.
Speaking to Petcomm News, Consultant for the AOGC, Dr. Paul Frempong reiterated the need for the exercise. “Welding is a fulcrum around which the building of a modern engineering economy of a nation revolves. It is an essential component of many industries including oil and gas. This exercise is the result of broad stakeholder consultations aimed at moving Ghana to become competitive within the oil and gas space” he noted
Director of Operations for the Ghana Institute of Engineers, Engr. Hector Adjetey Boye, a member of the assessment team is confident that with this vigorous approach under the leadership of the Petroleum Commission, the narrative will be changed significantly. “I particularly want to see these trainings rolled out so that after the required certifications, we can export or maintain the graduates in the industry. Indeed, some can also go into self-employment” he adds.
A Canadian Welding Bureau certified Welder, Bright Oduro, one of the beneficiaries of the Baker Hughes sponsored training was also part of the team. Expressing satisfaction with the facilities at these training institutions remarked, “So far, it is not a bad showing. We on our part having benefited from the training in Canada are positioned to contribute to Ghana’s oil and gas industry with all our might”.
The team has since yesterday ended the exercise and is expected to present a comprehensive report to the Chief Executive of the Petroleum Commission next week Friday.