Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority (NPA) plans to strengthen collaboration with the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) to support innovation and skills development in the country’s downstream petroleum sector, the regulator’s chief executive said.
Godwin Kudzo Tameklo made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with a UMaT delegation led by Prof. Richard Amorin, dean of the university’s School of Petroleum Studies, to explore areas of cooperation between the two institutions.
Tameklo said closer engagement with academia could help advance the industry through research and innovative approaches.
“We would want to continue the engagement with academia because we strongly believe that it will propel the downstream industry, because what academia does is to come up with innovative ways of doing things,” he said.
The NPA would also explore offering internship opportunities to UMaT students in some of its technical departments, Tameklo said, adding that practical experience could help students better understand industry operations.
Amorin thanked the NPA leadership for its willingness to collaborate, saying he would convey the discussions to the university’s vice-chancellor with a view to advancing the proposed partnership.
The discussions also covered specialised training and secondment opportunities for UMaT teaching staff, the university’s participation in training activities under a proposed NPA Centre of Excellence, and the possible upgrading of a laboratory at UMaT as part of the initiative.
Both institutions expressed optimism that the engagement could lead to a formal partnership linking academic research with industry practice.
The NPA regulates, oversees and monitors Ghana’s downstream petroleum industry.
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