Tullow Uganda has handed out four international scholarships worth around $60,000 each.

As part of its localisation training programme, the company will sponsor four Ugandan students to complete one-year postrgraduate courses at Manchester University, according to Uganda's Observer.

Abdul Kibuuka, Tullow Uganda's human resource manager, said the scholarships will run every year and are a small part of the company's commitment to ensuring the local workforce benefits from the production of oil and gas reserves.

Mr Kibuuka also explained that Tullow is particularly focused on providing oil and gas training for young students, not least because the course of study is of such a long duration.

It takes at least ten years to become fully qualified engineer in petroleum geosciences and for this reason, the scholarships are only open to those under the age of 27.

Tullow also has proven reserves in offshore fields in Ghana, as well as unexplored interests in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Getenergy for Western Africa