Takoradi Technical University has symbolically taken delivery of welding equipment from Petroleum Commission for the much-anticipated Centre of Excellence for Welding and Pipefitting for the Ghana Welding Bureau to be established at TTU.
Speaking during a symbolic presentation of the equipment to the Vice Chancellor at the PC’s Takoradi office, pending actual physical delivery of the equipment, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Petroleum Commission, Prince Benjamin Aboagye said the handing over of some of the equipment follows earlier key partners release of equipment support prior to the establishment of the centre.
“This handing over ought to have been done by my Boss himself but he is currently conflicted with an engagement in Accra…Noble Corporation, formerly “MISK” has come to support this vision of ours. They intended giving the GWB this equipment as it were. Now the facility is not ready, we are yet to build it. Petroleum Commission has a challenge, we can’t house that equipment. They are currently within our establishment, within our environment, within our space. We are looking at a situation whereby we could hand everything to you for custody… So officially, let the records reflect that we are handing the Overhead Mobile Crane machine to TTU, then in a similar manner handling over the nine welding machines to TTU. Regardless of where we find them, but It’s presumed that everything is here, and it’s being handed to you. My understanding is that the welding equipment are here, but the mobile crane is in Accra and within our premises”
He further noted the Legal Department of the Commission is preparing an agreement for PC and TTU as a condition attached to the handing over of the equipment.
“there should be an agreement between PC and your good self (Vice Chancellor). We will ask the Legal Department to prepare the agreement so that you hold the equipment until such time that the facility itself, would witness completion. So, Prof. equally let the record reflect that the said approval is not coming from the CEO but from the Governing Board.”, he noted.
While rationalising Petroleum Commission’s interest in ensuring the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Welding and Pipefitting, the Deputy PC CEO also justified the choice of TTU as the host.
“The truth of the matter is that within law, we equally as part of our mandate need to provide the recruitment of Ghana nationals. As it were, after the recruitment it also sit within our board to provide them with training and subsequently provide them with certification. In the event that we wanted to build a first-class welding facility for Ghanaians, it presupposes that whatever it sits within the ambience of our authority, we equally also need to deploy same now. We are glad that various companies are ever prepared to support with the building of the center…TTU stands tall when it comes to training in the oil and gas field and already hosting the Jubilee Technical Training Centre, JTTC, it makes it appropriate to add this centre to make TTU one stop centre for oil and gas training”, he pointed out.
The Vice Chancellor of TTU, Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun, expressed appreciation to the PC and its partners for the equipment.
“On behalf of management and the Council of TTU, we want to express our appreciation to Petroleum Commission for this kind gesture. I think this has been on the table for quite some time and I belief this is the start of the process to get the Welding Centre being established. I pray that we quickly speed up the process to get this done so that we can put the equipment to good use. We will provide a space where we will keep this equipment and when the time is due, then we take it from there. So, thank you very much”, he commended.
The Vice Chancellor was accompanied to the PC office for the equipment by the Head of the Jubilee Technical Training Centre, Prof. John Bentil. Meanwhile, the physical transportation of the equipment to TTU campus from
PC’s offices in Takoradi and Accra, which would be facilitated PC is yet to take place.
