…PTI Matriculates 1,793 Students As Rector Warns Against Social Vices
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, says the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is committed to strengthening infrastructure and other facilities at the prestigious Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Effurun in Uvwie, Delta State.
Lokpobiri said PTI remains a critical centre for the training and development of manpower for the oil and gas sector in the country, adding that the President Tinubu’s government would not neglect the institution.
The minister, who was represented by his Senior Aide, Engr. Roland Oweilaemi, gave the assurance on Friday at the matriculation ceremony of students for the 2023/2024 academic session of the petroleum training school.
A total 1,793 students, a combination of full time and School of Industrial Continuing Education (Part-Time) students, matriculated into various programmes into Africa’s premium training institution.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister assured that PTI would continue to receive special attention from the Federal Government to enable it meet her mandate of churning out well-trained and qualified technicians and technologists to man the oil and gas industry.
Senator Lokpobiri, while congratulating the matriculating students and the management for the feats the institution had recorded, said “As the supervising Ministry, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has a keen interest in the activities of PTI based on its strategic importance as the nation’s premier Oil and Gas training Institute and Africa’s foremost Oil and Gas Technological Institute.
“It may interest you to know that Nigeria is the world’s twelfth largest producer of Oil and the largest in Africa. It also holds the largest natural gas reserves on the continent. The Oil and gas sector plays a significant role in the economy contributing about 65% of government revenue and over 85% of total exports in Nigeria. Furthermore, the Petroleum sector contributes 6.63% to the nation gross domestic product (GDP).
“This implies that Nigeria needs a steady influx of competent technicians and technologists to sustain the current levels of production and ensure greater ability in harnessing our vast hydrocarbon potential.
“Institutions such as the PTI is poised to meet this important demand through the training and graduation of men and women that are expected to play part in this vital sector of the Nigerian economy. You are therefore urged to put on your utmost to ensure that you endure the rigors of education you are expected to go through in order to succeed and become veritable candidates of dedicated personnel expected to serve in the Oil and gas industry.”
He charged the freshers to be committed to their academic to enable them acquire needed skills and talents to become veritable candidates of dedicated personnel expected to serve in the oil and gas industry in the country and beyond.
“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources on its part shall continue to render the much needed support to PTI through collaborations, assisting the Institute’s quest towards provisions of infrastructure and facilities to enable it to meet its obligation of training and provision of middle level manpower for the Oil and Gas Sector”, Lokpobiri added.
Meanwhile, the Acting Principal and Chief Executive Officer of PTI Effurun, Engr. Dr. Samuel Onoji, has charged students of the institution to adhere strictly to the rules and regulations guarding their stay in the school.
Dr. Onoji, while administering the matriculation oath on students, warns that anyone who flouts the rules will face expulsion.
He congratulated the matriculants and enjoined them to “hit the ground running” in their academic pursuit to enable them get good grades and develop additional skills and acquire certifications in the oil and gas industry.
The Principal reminded the matriculants that the Federal Government has declared the year 2021-2030 as Nigeria’s decade of gas, urging them to key into several opportunities during their period of study in the institution.
According to him, “This implies that our gas resource will be our transition fuel. All hands must be on deck to ensure that you develop additional skills and acquire certifications apart from your conventional certificates.
“This will enable you to stand out among your contemporaries. I am sure that by the end of your two academic sessions in this Institute, you would have been equipped with knowledge and skills that will enable you to contribute your quotas to the betterment of our society.”
