Nigeria’s minister of state for petroleum resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva has said that his ministry is synergizing with the Nigerian National Assembly to review the Petroleum Training Institute Act.
Sylva said that the institute could achieved more if the PTI Act was amended to enable the institute to have access to more funding.
The minister who spoke during the 2022 graduation ceremony of the PTI, Effurun, in Delta state, stated that the petroleum ministry would continue to synergise with the National Assembly to ensure that adequate attention was given to the amendment of the PTI Act.
Represented at the event by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, the minister said the federal government was making concerted efforts to curtail the menace of crude oil theft
According to him, until recently oil thieves were having a field day, whereas the country loses at least 700,000 barrels of crude oil to the thieves daily.
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Sylva opined that crude oil theft had impacted negatively on Nigeria’s foreign exchange inflow. “Oil theft has denied the country of an estimated 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The adverse effect of this is the drop in the production of crude oil and decline in the national income.
“The adverse effect of this is the drop in the production of crude oil and decline in the national income,’’ he said.
The minister congratulated the graduates and assured them that there were opportunities in the oil and gas industry. “The skills you acquired will be pivotal in actualising the ever-evolving goals in the oil and gas industry.
“I am saying this confidently because the world still relies largely on hydrocarbons,’’ he said.
A total of 1,156 graduates received diplomas and certificates at the event. Out of the number, 659 were awarded National Diploma and 501 were awarded Higher National Diploma.
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Six graduates from the school received the PTI General Welding Certificates. A total of 112 students graduated with distinction while 380 graduated with upper credits.
The school principal, Mr. Adimula said the most pressing challenge confronting the institute was the cost of funding the training of its personnel locally and internationally.
“The infrastructure of the institute is presently overstretched and needs refurbishment, innovation and complete replacement of others,’’ he stressed.
The principal said the ceremony was part of activities lined up to mark the 50th anniversary of the PTI.
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