Multinationals show little interest to train and equip locals in oil and gas sector- Minister
By Selorm GBORBIDZI, Accra
The Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has tasked the Petroleum Commission to enforce the law regarding local content in the oil sector.
In his view, there has been little interest from multinationals operating in the oil and gas sector to train and equip local people to take up roles in their businesses, and this has been as a result of the laxity of the regulators.
He stated that the mere fact that Ghanaian workers have been given roles does not mean there is compliance as some of these companies are merely filling these roles for tokenish reasons.
Dr Opoku Prempeh told the Petroleum Commission, “if the regulator doesn’t show spine, nobody will develop Ghanaians in the petroleum sector. It is probably not in their interest to develop Ghanaians in that sector.”
He expressed serious doubt over the constant narrative by petroleum industry players that they have been unable to train Ghanaians to take over from their expatriate colleagues after 10 years of operating in the country.
He therefore reminded the Commission that “as a regulator, if you do not show spine, you will be abused. If the regulator can be bought and sold, then we are dead.”
He gave the above reminder at the launch of the 2023 Local Content Conference and Exhibition (LCCE), at the Shipper’s House yesterday.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, who serves on the board of the Petroleum Commission, said although the capital for entering into the oil business is beyond most Ghanaians, there are a number of low-hanging fruits “which we should do whatever it takes to alert and prepare Ghanaians to harvest.”
He iterated that the excuse given by these companies that they haven’t been able to train Ghanaians to take up roles is an unacceptable one which could not be blamed on anyone but themselves.
He said, “if after 15 years you have not trained experts then that is your problem, but we insist that you employ Ghanaians.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Egbert Faibille Jr, said that the launch seeks to show that Ghana has handled local content in the upstream petroleum sector by operation of the law.
The launch, he continued, “underscores the importance that Government attaches to its policy to extend the benefits of upstream oil and gas activities to every Ghanaian.”
He indicated that the Conference seeks to push further the Job Role Localisation (JRC) mandate of the Commission.
Faibille Jr explained that the Conference enables the Commission to share information about the industry, sensitise and prepare Indigenous Ghanaian Companies to strategically align themselves to take advantage of the opportunities in the sector.
This year’s conference is scheduled on to commence from November 21 to 24 in Takoradi.
