By: Oriade Ayomide
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) yesterday said work on the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas Structure, Ekowe, in Bayelsa, will be completed before June this year.
Disclosing this yesterday in Abuja, Head of Press and External Relations of PTDF, Mr Kalu Otisi, said the polytechnic was one of the special projects being implemented by the agency in the Niger Delta.Otisi said that arrangement was being made for President Goodluck Jonathan to inaugurate the project before the next academic session.
He said that when operational, the polytechnic would train most of the needed oil industry manpower locally. “The mission of PTDF is to use education and training to build and enhance the skills and capacities of Nigerians to play effective roles in all aspects of the petroleum industry in Nigeria.”
He explained that PTDF undertook the polytechnic project because it realised that overseas scholarship scheme had great financial implication on the economy. “In addition, more Nigerian graduates will benefit from the scholarship scheme as we have realised that the amount spent on one scholar’s training abroad can train 5 scholars in our local universities,” he said.
