Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has charged the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) to evolve initiatives towards helping President Muhammadu Buhari to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.
It would be recalled that President Buhari, in his June 12, 2019 Democracy Speech, vowed to yank 100 millions of Nigerians off poverty in 10 years.
Sylva gave the charge at the grand finale of the weeklong 2019 Graduation Ceremony held at the PTI Conference Centre at Effurun-Warri, Delta state.
The minister, who was represented by Mr Kamaru Busari, Director and Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, also charged the institution to evolve a strategy to assist Buhari’s government in its zero loss of crude oil output, reduction of cost of crude oil production, eradication of gas flare and development of the nation’s gas reserves.
He enjoined the 1, 122 graduands to assist in developing local and modern technology to drive the nation’s oil and energy industry.
However in his address, the Principal and Chief Executive of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Professor Sunny Iyuke, has lamented the institute’s inability to complete the modular refinery due to paucity of funds.
This is just as he called on the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, to intervene in helping to spell out PTI’s actual role in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that is still hanging in the balance.
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PTI, it would be recalled, was mandated by the erstwhile Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, during 2017 graduation ceremony to design and develop a modular refinery.
According to the PTI boss: “The institute has completed the preliminary design for the modular refinery, but the next stage of development and equipment procurement became a huge challenge due to paucity of funds.”
He equally expressed his displeasure over the non-arrival of printing machines acquired to upgrade the printing press belonging to the Petroleum Training Institute (PTDF) by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) which he said has been making the Printing Press operate below capacity.
He subsequently appealed to the executive secretary of PTDF to assist PTI in acquiring the necessary licenses to hasten the arrival of the printing press machines.
Prof Iyuke, who congratulated Chief Sylva on his deserved appointment as minister, further appealed to the PTDF Executive Secretary to help renew the software application licences for some of the institute’s laboratory and workshop equipment.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, PTI Governing Council, Mr Ahmad Rufai Shakur, in his address, has disclosed that the construction of the stalled modular refinery billed to produce 1,500 Barrels Per Day of crude oil when completed, would generate electricity, help students in practicals and industrial training as well as serve as a centre for research and development.
Shakur, who appealed to all stakeholders in the energy sector to collaborate with PTI in research and training, appealed to NUPENG and PENGASSAN to continue to sustain the existing industrial harmony.
Highlights of the well-attended week-long graduation ceremony which ended on Saturday saw a total of 1,122 graduates bagging Diplomas and Certificates in various fields.
Out of the number, 543 bagged ND, 575, HND and four awarded PTI General Welding Certificate, among which 55 got Distinction, and 342 graduated with Upper Credit grade.
and then