Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, on Friday, charged matriculating students of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, to ensure they endure the academic rigours in preparation to serve in the oil and gas industry.
Lokpobiri, who was represented at the combined PTI matriculation ceremony held at the PTI Conference Centre, Effurun, congratulated the 1,793 students admitted for the National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Commercial Diving programme for the 2023/2024 academic session.
“The oil and gas sector plays a significant role in the economy contributing about 65 per cent of government revenue and over 85 per cent of total exports in Nigeria.
“Furthermore, the Petroleum sector contributes 6.63 per cent to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).
“This implies that Nigeria needs a steady influx of competent technicians and technologists to sustain the current levels of production and ensure greater ability in harnessing our vast hydrocarbon potential.
“Institutions, such as the PTI, are poised to meet this important demand through the training and graduation of men and women that are expected to play a part in this vital sector of the Nigerian economy.
“Your matriculation marks the beginning of an exciting journey in your life. Maximum commitment, consistent discipline and relentless focus are basic requirements for a successful individual,” he admonished.
Acting Principal and Chief Executive of PTI, Engr. Dr. Samuel Onoji, in his address, said the ceremony was for both full-time and School of Industrial Continuing Education (Part Time) programmes.
He said PTI, which was established for the purpose of human capital development in the Nigerian oil and gas and allied industry, avails its students more opportunities than their contemporaries in other academic institutions because of better exposure to oil industry-tailored training both in the laboratory and workshops.
He urged them to ensure that they develop additional skills and acquire certifications apart from their conventional certificates at a time the Federal Government has declared the year 2021-2030 as Nigeria’s decade of gas.
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“This implies that our gas resource will be our transition fuel. All hands must be on deck to ensure that you develop additional skills and acquire certifications apart from your conventional certificates.
“This will enable you to stand out among your contemporaries. I am sure that by the end of your two academic sessions in this Institute, you would have been equipped with knowledge and skills that will enable you to contribute your quotas to the betterment of our society,” he noted.
Dr Onoji, who advised them to be abreast with the latest development in the conventional fossil fuel and renewable energy and take advantage of all opportunities that may come their way, however, warned the matriculants against engaging in vices capable of truncating their studentship on campus.
He listed the vices to include, but not limited to, physical and sexual assaults, examination misconduct, cultism, use of drugs, smoking of Indian hemp on campus, certificate forgery,
stealing, bullying, misuse of social media and indecent dressing.
Our correspondent reports that the students expressed excitement and a determination to key into the institute’s vision and mission to become the leading oil and gas institute in Africa and to provide competent technological human resources through training, research and consultancy for the petroleum and allied industry, as they were taken through the matriculation oath by the registrar of the institution.
