By Daniel Adu Darko
Accra, Nov. 5, GNA-The Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) has joined forces with leading Spanish institutions to train Ghanaians for the ambitious Ghana Petroleum Hub Project, a private sector-led initiative valued at over $60 billion.
This effort aligns with Ghana’s goal to establish a diversified and sustainable energy economy, as envisioned by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Speaking after the agreement stage, the Chief Executive Officer of PHDC, Mr Charles Owusu said that the Petroleum Hub was expected to drive economic transformation through increased access to energy for homes and industries while building a workforce equipped to support the hub’s infrastructure.
“PHDC is committed to creating a skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled workforce for the project, and has partnered with Canary Consulting & Trading (CCT) and Aurum Global Partners (AGP) to implement a comprehensive capacity-building programme,” he stated.
This initiative, he stressed, would train Ghanaians in various modules essential to the petroleum downstream sector, including roles in civil works, drainage systems, and other critical infrastructure development.
Mr Owusu added that the partnership would include the expertise of three renowned institutions from Spain’s Canary Islands: the University of Las Palmas, the Finnova Foundation, and Casa África.
“These institutions bring a wealth of experience in environmental technologies, sustainable development, and technical training.
Notably, the University of Las Palmas, recognized for its research in environmental technologies, will equip trainees with the knowledge needed for handling complex environmental challenges within the oil and gas sector,” he emphasised.
According to the PHDC boss, the training modules would cover vital areas such as environmental technologies for hazardous materials management, best practices in oil and gas maintenance, air pollution prevention, and water treatment management.
Other training modules include smart city development and sustainability, fire prevention and pipeline safety, and project management planning.
“Through these modules, Ghanaians will gain world-class skills to support the Petroleum Hub Project and position Ghana’s workforce as significant contributors to the global petroleum downstream industry,” he explained.
He further stated that the partnership was expected to strengthen the existing “Sister-Sister” regional relationship between Ghana’s Western Region and the Canary Islands, emphasizing innovation and education.
“By investing in local talent through partnerships with CCT, AGP, and these Spanish institutions, PHDC is fostering a sustainable future for Ghana’s petroleum sector,” he indicated.
Mr Owusu underscored that the collaboration represented a unified commitment to Ghana’s human capital development, enabling the nation to maximize its natural resources and strengthen its role in the global energy landscape.
Meanwhile, the Vice President and Presidential Candidate for the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, expressed his desire to support the government’s Petroleum Hub Project should he become president.
Dr Bawumia touted the massive job creation potential of Ghana’s Petroleum Hub, describing it as a major transformative policy that would create 780,000 direct and indirect jobs for Ghanaians.
He declared his support for the Petroleum Hub Project located in the Western Nzema Traditional Area when he spoke on his plans to provide jobs for the youth on Sunday, 3rd November.
The Vice President also announced that the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation’s Job Creation Data Repository would be launched before the end of the year to facilitate job seekers’ acquisition of jobs within the hub.
GNA