Industrial liaison officers and vice-rectors at a group of Ghanaian polytechnics have pressed for enhanced oil training programmes to ensure that graduates are well-placed to enter the country's nascent oil and gas industry.

With the country set to achieve first oil later this year, institutions such as Takoradi polytechnic are leading the push for extensions to industrial training programmes to ensure oil production is of benefit to local communities.

The Ghana News Agency said that while legislators have a duty to enforce robust training standards, tax breaks should also be introduced to incentivise sponsorship of new industrial training modules by commercial organisations.

The group of polytechnics have set out a timetable to introduce expanded industrial capacity by the beginning of the next academic year.

Irish operator Tullow, a major stakeholder in Ghana's offshore fields, has also committed substantial funds to local workforce training programmes since first striking oil in 2007.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development