Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, has committed to sending more of its youths to T&T to acquire training in the oil and gas industry. This was revealed yesterday by Nigeria’s President Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as he attended a training function for Nigerian youths at the National Skills Centre in Couva. It was the third function which Jonathan attended since he started his official State visit on Tuesday.
The event was hosted by
Tertiary Education Minister Fazal Karim, who commended the 69 Nigerian trainees
under the Office of the Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on Niger
Delta currently being trained at National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) in the
fields of Oil/Gas Drilling Operations and Measurement and Logging while
Drilling Course. The trainees were processed by a Nigerian Training Consultant,
GITA ALLIED SOLUTIONS LIMITED, one of the approved service providers of the
Presidential Amnesty Programme in technical partnership with PETROSKILLS INC of
USA; PETRO-DRILL Corporation of USA; COPETROL Limited of T&T and WELL
CONTROL Schools of Houston Texas, USA, that will be responsible for supervision
of the training and certification.
Coining the term
“Tringeria” (a mix of Trinbago and Nigeria), Karim said 57 Nigerian nationals that
were earlier brought in by another Training Consultant, QESS Services Nigeria
LTD have already graduated and received certification from NESC in Welding,
Crane and Heavy Duty Operations and Maintainance. “Through our Tringeria
programme, NESC can give talent and skills to help trainees of Nigeria,” Karim
said. He gave the commitment that all national training agencies will be made
available to the Nigerian people.
“I believe that
emancipation through education will change a nation. I want to make Nigerian
students comfortable during their period of training,” Karim said. He added
that even though T&T was small in size, it played a significant role on the
world’s petrochemical stage.
“We have achieved much in
half a century but there is still much to be done powered by our invaluable
human resource and sound leadership,” Karim said. He noted that Nigeria shared
similar ideals as T&T and recognised that education and development of
human capital was the only way forward.
Karim said over the past
two years, T&T strengthened ties with Nigeria through its
technical/vocational training programmes which were made available to Nigerian
nationals. However, he called on the Nigerian Government to assist in
constructing a dormitory for Nigerian students during their study period. “Not
only is education important but there must be safety and security as well and
we wish to offer them a home away from home,” Karim said.
Meanwhile, President
Jonathan commended Karim for his proposals on training. He said Karim exuded
passion and interest in developing strong ties with the Nigerian and T&T
peoples. “Thank you for accepting our students to train. You are not just
interested in training them but you have the passion and interest to make sure
that they are trained to play a key role in the oil industry,” Jonathan said.
He urged the Nigerian
pupils to take advantage of their opportunity and to undertake leadership
positions. “You must be educated in different aspects of our economy. Gas
technology is high and they have institutions here to train us. What we must do
is to embrace science and technology to rule the world.” Jonathan said T&T
nationals were well skilled to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s oil
and gas sector.
Meanwhile Junior Minister
of Local Government Rudranath Indarsingh said that T&T’s Government was
ready to deepen fraternal and bilateral ties with Nigeria. He said T&T and
Nigeria shared a deep historical link that must continue well into the future.
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