The president of the University of Maryland Dr Thelma Thompson has travelled to Nigeria to help the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) establish a training programme for indigenous workers.

Dr Thompson headed up a delegation which also included deputy president Dr Emmanuel Acqua and Dr Stanley Nyerinda, head of statistics and administration. The executive chairman of the Delta state commission Dr Wellington Okirika said that the meeting marked the beginning of a "new era" for the training of Nigerian workers.

"We must give our best to our children educationally and otherwise, since they remain our future leaders and our future hope," said Dr Okrika in a press statement seen by Vanguard.

Dr Thompson said that the university would allow the workers to expand their skills in engineering, agriculture and other industries.

Vanguard also reports that the national coordinator of the Niger-Delta Re-Orientation Project Comrade Sheriff Mulade has praised DESOPADEC for its improvement in environmental infrastructure in the Delta region, which he said has helped improve many lives.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development