Minister of Education, Lee Ocran, has commissioned six ultra- modern Petrochemical and Hydraulics Laboratories for the Takoradi Polytechnic. The state-of-the-art laboratories worth over US$6 million is to train qualified and competent middle level human resource for the country’s emerging oil and gas industry. This place the Polytechnic at a competitive position to train students to deal with problems associated with the flow of fluids through pipes or in open channels and all kinds of flow dynamics such as hydraulic turbines, dams, jet propulsion, compressors, pumps and hydraulic pressures, using water or other liquids. Speaking at the event, Ambassador Lee Ocran praised the Management of the Polytechnic and her Development Partners for their efforts at transforming the capacities of local people into a critical workforce that the country needs to achieve the Government’s policy objective of attaining 90% local content to turn around the Ghanaian oil and gas industry by the year 2020. According to the Minister, engineering as a profession is aimed at harnessing and modifying the three fundamental resources that mankind has available for the creation of wealth: energy, materials and information. “The overall goal of engineering education is to prepare students to incubate the ideas that engender innovation and in particular to deal with the forces and materials of nature,” he added. Rector of Takoradi Polytechnic Rev. Prof. Daniel A. Nyarko expressed appreciation to the Education Ministry on the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) and Amatrol Inc. for the laboratories which are equipped with current technology and software to provide technical skills in Mechatronics, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Process Engineering, Instrumentation and Control as well as Fluid Mechanics. “Fluid Mechanics is basic to diverse fields such as aeronautics, chemical, civil, and mechanical engineering, meteorology, naval architecture and oceanography which will attract our youth from the hazardous “galamsey” operations and empower them with skills and competences for gainful employment not only in the oil and gas industry but also in other allied industries” he added. On his part, the Council Chairman of the Polytechnic, Prof. George K. T. Oduro said energy efficiency has become a driver for many industries due to increasing interest in reducing carbon footprints and obtaining associated benefits. He also re-affirmed the Polytechnic’s commitment to introducing professional academic courses to build the capacity of local people and firms to enable them better facilitate the national participation in the oil and gas industry. “In this direction, the Polytechnic is preparing to embark on a comprehensive study on the skills requirements for the industries to benefit from the opportunities in the oil and gas sector, both now and the future” he added. Among the dignitaries at the commissioning were the Deputy Minister of Energy, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the Executive Secretaries of the National Accreditation Board and NABPTEX, Officers from the Security Services, and Executive Director of COTVET, and the clergy including Bishop Emmanuel Botwe of the Christian Faith Church International.