Kosmos Energy, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), is conducting an International Maritime Organization (IMO) course for selected governmental, industry and community stakeholders in Accra and Takoradi.The ten-day programme which is already underway will close on June 20.The IMO course is designed to outline the key responsibilities of oil spill management for decision makers while providing participants with the knowledge to make practical, hands-on decisions regarding shoreline protection and treatment following an incident.It follows a 2011Needs Assessment of Capacity Building for Environmental Governance and Regulation of the Oil and Gas Industry by MEST and Kosmos Energy which identified multiple enhancement opportunities.Participants in the training have been drawn from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Petroleum Commission (PC), Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Ghana Navy (GN), Zeal Environmental Technologies Ltd, the Ghana Petroleum Security Coordinating Council (PSCC) and representatives from 12 Coastal Communities in the Western Region.Mike Murphy, Vice President and Country Manager, Kosmos Energy Ghana, said, “Kosmos Energy believes that the key to effective response lies in the expertise of people with up-to-date training, an understanding of the critical issues and the availability of the appropriate spill equipment. We are honoured to join forces with the MEST in executing this initiative.”Madam Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science, and Technology interacted with the participants and thanked them for availing themselves for the course. According to the Minister, “It is important that we build human capital for proper management of our oil resources”.The training is being conducted by the Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), UK, an international industry-owned cooperative which specialises in incident response and readiness.Kosmos Energy is a leading independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on frontier and emerging areas in Africa and South America.The Company’s asset portfolio includes existing production, major discoveries and exploration prospects offshore Ghana, as well as exploration licenses with significant hydrocarbon potential offshore Mauritania, Morocco and Surinam and onshore Cameroon. Kosmos is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol KOS.