Youth urged to show interest in the oil industry

Tamale, May 12, GNA - Mr Gerhard Mensah, the Communications Manager of Tullow Ghana Limited, has appealed to the youth to take keen interest in developments in the country's emerging oil industry so that they could take advantage of the opportunities that are being opened to pursue oil related courses that would offer them jobs in that sector.

He said the oil industry required a lot of expertise and therefore needed the services of highly trained people to manage its various sectors, adding that unless the youth were adequately trained they would continue to serve in areas of the menial jobs.

Mr Mensah said this when he addressed District Chief Executives, District Coordinating Directors, Presiding Members, staff of the Regional Coordinating Council, security services and traditional rulers in Tamale on Thursday as part of the Jubilee travel exhibition to educate Ghanaians on how the county's oil was discovered, is being explored and developed. The Jubilee Travel Exhibition is part of efforts by the Jubilee partners to educate and inform Ghanaians about the country's oil find and to help them manage their expectations. The Jubilee Partners are Tullow Ghana Limited, Kosmos Energy Ghana HC, Anadarko WCTP Company, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, EO Group Limited and Sabre oil and Gas Limited.

Mr Mensah cautioned Ghanaians against very high expectations as regards the oil revenueh and said although the revenue the country would get from the oil would help transform the economy and improve upon its infrastructure in education, health, roads construction and the provision of other social amenities it could not be the panacea to all the country's problems.

He said Tullow had drawn up a comprehensive social responsibility programme to invest in the health, education and infrastructure needs of the people, especially those close to the area of the oil production. Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, the Northern Regional Minister, said the government was committed to ensuring that the oil became a blessing and not a curse as was happening in other countries and assured that the oil money would be used judiciously.

He said government would also ensure transparency and accountability in the operations and finances of the oil fine and would not hesitate to continue to educate the public about it.