Warri, Kaduna Refineries’ Rehabilitation Still On Course – Sylva

• As PTI graduates 2,297 students

Timipre Sylva, Minister of State Petroleum Resources, has said that the proposed rehabilitation of Warri and Kaduna refineries was still on course.

Sylva, said that work at the Warri and Kaduna refineries would commence immediately Port-Harcourt refinery and Petrochemical Company under rehabilitation is completed.

The Minister spoke on Saturday during the Petroleum Training Institute’s 2021 graduation ceremony held at the Petroleum Training Institute Conference Centre, Effurun, Delta State.

Represented by Dr Nasir Gwarzo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Sylva said the approval by the Federal Executive Council for the comprehensive rehabilitation of all the refineries in Nigeria earlier this year is one of the strides of the Petroleum Ministry.

He said Nigeria is currently producing about 1.3 million barrels per day, adding that “the Ministry is putting all concerted efforts to meeting the current OPEC quota.”

Sylva further disclosed that “the President has also approved the constitution of a Steering Committee to oversee the process of implementation of the PIA. The primary responsibility of the Steering Committee shall be to guide the effective and timely implementation of the PIA.”

“On this note, the Implementation Committee will ensure that the PTI is saddled with the responsibility of Human Capacity Development in the Oil and Gas Sector in Nigeria. The major stakeholders like the OPTS, the Petroleum Ministry, the PTDF, NCDMB, the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Commission, and the Mid-stream and down Stream Regulatory Authority will be co-opted to ensure that the PTT is supported with respect to policy achievements and funding,” he said.

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Meanwhile, Dr Henry A. Adimula, Principal and Chief Executive of the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, said that for the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 academic sessions a total of 2,297 graduands received the institutes prestigious Diplomas and Certificates during the graduation ceremony.

He added that that out of that number, 1,408 were awarded National Diplomas, 1,153 graduands were awarded Higher National Diplomas while 16 graduands received the PTI General Welding Certificates.

“I am enthused to inform you that 161 students graduated with Distinctions while 810 students graduated with Upper Credit grades,” Adimula said.

He added that based on the new direction in realigning the Institute to the Oil and Gas and Allied Industries operations, the Institute had recorded several milestones within one year.

“The Petroleum Training Institute has established collaboration with the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) to align the curriculum to meet the industry expectations and improve the technical competencies and capacity of our staff to be attuned with the ever-dynamic oil and gas Industry.

“The Institute has established the Nigeria Diving School in conjunction with NCDMB/NNPC/SNEPCO with JFD Aberdeen, Scotland as our technical partner. This is an internationally recognised Diving School that will offer training, certifications and re certifications of Divers in Nigeria and Africa. A Local Regulatory Capacity is being built in conjunction with the Department of Petroleum Resources for International Standardization and Accreditation. The scope covers both Onshore and Offshore operations,” Adimula said.

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According the Principal and Chief Executive of PTI, the Institute needed a special intervention fund to serve as a stop gap to quickly meet their immediate challenges in the areas of upskilling the competencies and capacity of it’s staff.

Other challenges of the Institute according to Adimula include upgrade of the institution’s Printing Press to address the issue of operating below capacity, adding that Additional machines acquired through the PTDF were still been expected.

“Software licenses are needed for laboratories and workshops equipment purchased by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). We are hereby appealing to the Executive
Secretary of PTDF, Dr. Bello. A Gusua to assist the Institute in this regard.

“We call on our sister agencies like the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (MDPRA), Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), PTDF to assist the Institute in the area of Research development and Training grants of the Staff,” Adimula said.

While appreciating Timipre Sylva for his uncommon leadership in steering the ship of the Ministry, Adimula also congratulated him on his appointment as the Chairman of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) Steering Committee.

On his part, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa while congratulating the graduands however reminded them that they “would be judged alongside your academic credentials with the content of your character, the ideals you share your acute understanding of the immutable concept of right and wrong, your capacity to be curious beyond the areas of your core academic competencies.”

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Okowa, who was represented by Patrick Mouboghare, Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, said his Administration believed that providing quality education was the pivot upon with the SMART Agenda rests on, adding that they share the sentiments of the late South African Legend, Nelson Mandela, who said “Education is the most powerful weapon that can be used to change the world.”

He called on both public and private sector or organisation as well as individuals and captains of industries, to look inward to the granduands of the Petroleum Training Institute in their bid to resuscitate the ailing oil and gas industry.

“This would reduce dependence on foreign expert to revive this very crucial sector of our economy. I can proudly say PTI has been a pace-setter, pathfinder, and a trailblazer in this regards.

“My Administration had taken into cognisance, the input of the Petroleum Training Institute in improving our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and have also resolved as a Government that is sensitive to reciprocate this gesture through making our presence felt in the Institute as a way of Corporate Social Responsibility,” Okowa said.

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