Accra, Oct. 4, GNA - Mr Ernest Johnson, a US-based Aero-Space Engineer has called on Local Petroleum Engineers to develop their expertise to compete with their foreign counterparts in the country's emerging oil exploration. He said Government must take a firm decision through internal agreements to secure employment for the local people for Ghana to get the best out of the oil resource. Mr Johnson made the call at the inauguration of the Regional Maritime Academy and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Students' Chapters of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in Accra on Saturday. They were formed to promote information sharing among students and provide a platform to enhance their technical and professional competence in the petroleum sector. Mr Johnson urged the students to be mindful of the competition with other foreign professionals since foreign investors might prefer working with their own people. He urged them to have the confidence to succeed in their career and opt for global high-level competencies and specialisation. Crusader Ing. Robert Woode, Chairman for Centre for Technology Driven Economic Development, speaking on the topic "Challenges and Opportunities in the Oil Industry" asked the students to tap potentials in solar energy. He said available research indicated that five and half hours of sunlight generated into solar energy had the potential to meet a year's energy needs of the world. Ing. Woode said wind power, biofuels, palm oil, vegetable oil, cocoa dry beans and sorghum contained elements that could generate power for the country instead of solely relying on crude oil. Mr Isaac Aduhene Opoku, President of Regional Maritime Academy Chapter called on government to consider the interest of the youth, especially those pursuing courses in the oil sector.