The Principal /Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Engr. Dr. Samuel E. Onoji,
By Samuel Ogude
The Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Engr. Dr. Samuel E. Onoji, has expressed the institute’s readiness to partner with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, in promoting societal development and serving humanity. Dr. Onoji made this known on Monday when members of the chapel paid a courtesy visit to the management of the institution at its headquarters in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
Speaking during the visit, the PTI boss traced the historical evolution of the institute, noting that its establishment was linked to Nigeria’s admission into the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). According to him, OPEC member nations were encouraged to establish institutions that would develop indigenous manpower capable of managing their petroleum industries in the future.
He explained that following Nigeria’s admission into OPEC 1971, in 1972,the then Military government decreed PTI existence in alignment with objective of OPEC for local Content Manpower Development and in 1971 the Federal Government established the Nigerian National Oil Corporation (NNOC) to manage the country’s oil resources. The corporation later transformed into the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in 1977, with PTI emerging as one of its earliest institutions under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Dr. Onoji said PTI has remained committed to its mandate of training middle-level manpower for the oil and gas industry since its inception. His words:” Since the institution was established, we have been training middle-level manpower for the oil and gas industry.” He noted that many professionals currently working in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, as well as employers of labour across the globe, are products of PTI.
”It may in terest you to know that the pioneer staff of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), Port Harcourt Petrochemical Company and several other petroleum establishments were trained at PTI,” Onoji added. The PTI Principal further disclosed that the institute collaborates with several international organisations in specialised training programmes, including James Fisher Academy, where trainees are equipped with skills in Diving Medical Technology and Underwater Welding, which are critical areas in oil exploration and production.
According to him, apart from the Sea Dogs Diving School in South Africa, PTI remains one of the few institutions on the African continent where Diving Medical Technicians are trained. Dr. Onoji also highlighted the institute’s internationally certified facilities, noting that beyond its National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes, PTI offers consultancy services, refresher courses for industry personnel and other professional development programmes.
While appreciating the NUJ delegation for the visit, he assured the union of PTI’s willingness to support its activities within available resources. He specifically pledged to explore ways of assisting in restoring internet connectivity at the NUJ Press Centre in Warri, which has been inactive for some time. He also promised to facilitate training opportunities for journalists whenever possible, particularly in specialised areas of petroleum reporting, subject to the institute’s financial capacity.
Other top Management Staff of PTI present during the courtesy visit of Warri NUJ Chapel on Monday
Dr. Onoji further assured the journalists that PTI would continue to involve the media in publicising its programmes and activities, describing the media as a critical stakeholder in the institute’s growth and visibility. Although he acknowledged financial constraints facing the institution, he pledged to do his best to support initiatives that would strengthen the partnership between PTI and the NUJ.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, Chief Akpokona Omafuaire, Esq., said the visit was aimed at introducing the newly inaugurated executive members of the chapel to the management of PTI. Omafuaire appealed to the institute to assist in restoring the Wi-Fi services at the chapel’s Press Centre to enable journalists effectively discharge their responsibilities as watchdogs of society.
He also requested PTI to organise capacity-building workshops and seminars for journalists, especially in petroleum reporting, to enhance their knowledge and competence in the specialised field.The NUJ chairman thanked the PTI management for the warm reception accorded members of the chapel and assured the institute of the union’s continued partnership and support in advancing its objectives.