Warri- Principal and Chief Executive of the Petroleum Training Institute (PIT) Professor Sunny Iyuke has said that the institute has perfected plans to offer admission of post HND and master degree students to award a post graduate degrees in partnership with the University of Port Harcourt in the 2017/2018 academic session.
The Academic Don made the disclosure today at the PTI Conference hall during an address of the 2017 graduation ceremony of the institute, said ‘‘ It is my pleasure to announce to you that all, that the collaboration in Post HND and Master programmes has been advertised to commence in 2017/2018 academic session with the University of Port-Harcourt. To this end, a memorandum of understanding has been signed between PTI and University of Port Harcourt’’
The principal also said that institute and Wits University in South Africa are also finalizing arrangements to commence Post Graduates Diploma (PG Dip) and master programme in engineering. According to him, the collaboration would break the HND barrier for the various graduates to boost human capacity development.
He said that in order to move the institution to measure with other foreign institutes, PTI has also signed MOUs with the Nigerian Navy on research and development, ministry of Energy, Republic of Benin.
He noted that PTI had also signed MOUs with the Inter-regional University of Industrial Engineering Bio-technologies and Applied Science (IRGIB African University, Cotonou, Republic of Benin which led to the field trip for the first batch of interns, along with interns from SINOPEC, NCDMB and Multinational Technologies as well as Petroleum Technology Development fund (PTDF) among others, PTI had signed MOUs to move the institute forward.
The Principal has said that institute has had an innovative idea of Digital PTI which will act as a data base for both the institute and other firms within and outside the country for information storage. He said the (DiPTI is also in international partnership with an Asian firm, Huawei, a company specialized in software and hardware. He said the innovation the ICT facility will create jobs for the teaming youths and provide forum where courses available in PTI are digitalized e-platform application and delivery.
In his address the honourable minister of State Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachukwu who was represented by Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan thanked the management and staff of the institute for the successful convocation of the graduating students. He congratulated the students from various departments and admonished them to contribute their training in skill and character into the development of the country.
Dr. Kachukwu said that the federal Government would continue to support the PTI which he described as a strategic institute that plays a great role in the oil industry in Nigeria.
He revealed that the country Petroleum industry has suffered a massive setback due to the the wanton destruction of oil facilities and installations as well as decline in the country’s crude oil production by over 7000,000 barrels per day due to activities of Niger Delta militants.
On the institute’s digital hub, the minister has however, pledged to support the DiPTI programme with the sum of N200 million naira in the 2017 budget for the take-off of the project.
In his brief address, the chairman of the PTI Governing council, Mr.M.D Ladan has lauded the state Governor, Senator Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa for creating the enabling peaceful environment for the institute to achieve its objectives. He revealed that the governing council was pleased with the governor’s innovative idea of partnering with the institute to establish a modular refinery to solve the lingering petroleum products which will train and create jobs for the army of jobless graduates in the country.
Mr. Ladan pledged his continued support to the management of its positive steps and proposals to take its rightful place as the major technological institute for training the oil and Gas sector.
‘‘It is my hope and aspiration that PTI will continue to wax stronger in the pursuit of its objectives, vision and mission. Management should interface with the oil and Gas sector in order to restructure the curriculum in line with the current trend in the oil industry. The Department of Petroleum Resources will initiate the operators of the oil industry to develop the manpower in line with the institute in accordance with the Nigerian content development act’’ he noted.
There was beehive of actives as the institute honoured best graduating students with plagues and cash gifts. The institute also inducted three prominent Nigerians with institute fellow award, among who are Chief E.K Clark, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange and Chief Frank Ovie Kokori for their various contributions towards the development of the PTI and the general society.