GNPC Partners Oxford Business Group In Hydrocarbons

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OBG-GNPC (1)A first-time agreement signed between the global publishing, research and
consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is
set to support the country’s drive to foster closer ties between education providers and the
hydrocarbons industry.
Under the agreement, students and faculty members at the University of Ghana will be given online
access to OBG?s library of reports on emerging economies for a three-year period.
Alex Mould, Chief Executive Officer at the GNPC, said awareness was growing in Ghana of the need to
produce a well-trained, local workforce for both the hydrocarbons industry and its related fields.
?Jobs in the oil and gas industry are evolving because new technologies are always emerging and
environmental regulations are constantly changing the face of the industry,? he said. ?While direct jobs
in the industry are few, indirect and related jobs are many. We expect heightened activity next year and
beyond.?
The GNPC plays a key role in highlighting skills gaps within Ghana?s oil and gas industry and helping to fill
them through a broad range of initiatives, which include supporting curricula development and
improving vocational training. The corporation recently began offering scholarships to students
embarking on training in both Ghanaian and international institutions under a newly-launched oil and
gas learning foundation.
Mould said that collaborative ventures between the hydrocarbons industry and educational institutions
were on the rise, with companies such as Schlumberger and Technip already providing Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Ghana with educational resources.
?We expect more companies to support Ghana?s academic institutions by providing them with tools,
equipment and materials that aid teaching and learning,? he said.
OBG?s Country Director, Aicha Larbi Daho Bachir, said that the Group and the GNPC both recognized the
importance of ensuring students were given an opportunity to acquire the technical skills and
knowledge needed to participate in key areas of Ghana?s economy.
?Our forthcoming report on Ghana will chart the country?s latest developments, while looking at how its
people can increase their contribution to economic growth,? she said. ?I?m delighted that by offering the University of Ghana’s students access to our reports and updates, we will be supporting GNPC?S efforts
to prepare young Ghanaians for the world of work.?
OBG?s collaboration with the GNPC forms part of the Group?s Academic Programme, which offers
students a platform to read over 22,000 searchable articles featured in the firm?s reports. OBG currently
partners more than 60 universities and business schools worldwide as part of the programme, providing
more than 10,000 students with access to its data.
The Report: Ghana 2014 will be a vital guide to the many facets of the country, including its
macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and other sectoral developments. The publication, which
marks OBG’s fourth year in Ghana, will be available in print or online.

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