The Managing Director of Tullow Ghana has disclosed that the company has awarded contracts totalling $10.6 billion to indigenous companies and joint ventures in which local companies are partners.

Kweku Awotwi said the expansion of Ghana’s upstream sector, with new entrants coming in, sets the sector up nicely for further growth.

Pondering on how the diaspora leverage the positive changes and potentially new prospects in the oil and gas value chain where many have already achieved success, he expects to see more success.

“By drawing on the experience of others, partnering successful companies, using the right technological innovation and investing. This also benefits and grows the Ghanaian economy. I expect to see a further burst of activity in the years ahead,” he said.

He said this on Monday at the Ghana Oil and Gas SME Exhibition Summit and Dinner on the theme: ‘Strengthening Diaspora Participation in Ghana’s oil and gas sector.’

According to him, attending such conference allows them to reflect on the strides Ghana’s oil and gas sector has made.

“[It] reminds us of our privileged role and responsibility to propel the growth and development agenda that allows Ghana and its people to reap the benefits of a sector as important as ours,” he said.

Mr Awotwi believes one of the ways to achieve that is by strengthening diaspora participation in the country’s oil and gas sector through Localisation, Local content and Supply Chain initiatives.

“Production from our two assets, Jubilee and TEN, continues to present an exciting opportunity for Ghana and Tullow to build world-class competitive in-country capability as well as draw on the competencies of Ghanaian technical professionals from the diaspora.

“For Tullow Ghana, this allows us to recruit highly talented personnel with great potential to deliver on Tullow’s operations and support the oil and gas value chain. As a result, we have made great progress in our decade-long localisation and local content vision,” he said.

The Tullow MD disclosed the combination of local and internationally trained professionals across the technical and non-technical fields which make up Tullow Ghana’s workforce.

The company has 64% nationals and expatriate staff of 36% with 63% nationals making up their leadership team. Also, the company boasts of 44% Ghanaian technical staff and 64% expatriate staff.

“We continue to focus on localisation in the technical areas to drive our oil portfolio and the future of Ghana’s oil and gas sector.

“Tullow continues to make strides in recruiting efforts for professionals in the diaspora. Since 2008, we have recruited professionals in Geoscience, Petroleum Engineering and Operations from the diaspora to support our localisation agenda,” the MD said.

Mr Awotwi said the development and progression of all their employees remain priorities for them, and they continue to seek a fair balance between in-country and diaspora recruitment and training and developing existing employees.

“It is one of the reasons Tullow invests in capacity building. Participation in Ghana’s oil sector is not just about recruitment and employee development. Businesses can also tap into diverse opportunities in the oil and gas value chain.

“Tullow Ghana has done quite a bit reserving specific contracts for Ghanaians operating in sectors such as technical services, logistics & materials, procurement, communication, security and marine services,” he added.