Takoradi Technical University, TTU, has entered a three-year Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology, NIMT, to support Namibia’s drive to build the technical capacity needed for the extraction of its newly discovered oil resources.
Under the partnership, TTU will provide comprehensive training in oil and gas disciplines including mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, processing, and Health, Safety and Environment, HSE, using the facilities at the Jubilee Technical Training Centre, JTTC. TTU will also assist NIMT to upgrade its workshops, develop modern laboratories, and secure relevant international accreditations to enhance training.
The Vice Chancellor of TTU, Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun, who received the Namibian delegation, emphasized that TTU is well positioned to support Namibia due to Ghana’s own experience in local content development for the oil and gas sector.
“I want to thank you for coming to Ghana to see things for yourselves. We also discovered oil in commercial quantities and built this facility to train the local content needed to man the industry. We have trained many people, and we believe we have the capacity to impart. This collaboration is a good opportunity, and I believe once we finalize the details, we can begin work immediately,” he said.
Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun-Vice Chancellor, TTU
He emphasized that the facility has over the years trained many people and therefore more than ready to give them the needed training to build the resources.
The Centre Manager of the Jubilee Technical Training Centre, Prof. John Bentil, who led the TTU technical team, highlighted Namibia’s strategic decision to delay oil extraction until its citizens are adequately prepared to occupy critical roles in the industry.
“Namibia has also discovered oil in commercial quantities, but they have made the deliberate decision not to extract the oil until they build the needed capacity to take up those roles. We held a series of virtual meetings, and it became clear that an MoU was necessary to help them establish the required capacity, workshops, laboratories, and accreditation so they can effectively train their people,” he explained.
The Executive Director of the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology, Raph Brussel, expressed strong admiration for the technical and practical training facilities at TTU, emphasizing the need for African countries to collaborate and build local capacity rather than relying on external expertise.
“We are a very practical institution focused on transferring ethical skills, and we are the leading vocational training centre in Namibia. We asked ourselves, why should we look outside Africa to capacitate our people when the expertise exist here,” he stated
He confirmed the institution’s confidence in TTU’s capabilities and reaffirmed the value of Africa-to-Africa partnerships in technical education.
He underscored the importance of strengthening African unity and reducing dependence on European training institutions when local institutions have the capability to deliver world-class expertise.
