WARRI- Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has commended the Principal of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Uwvie Local Government Area of Delta State, for repositioning the Institute,and making it more Industry driven.
The Ministry gave the Commendation last Saturday at the PTI Conference Center, Effurun during the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 graduation ceremony of the Institute.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, in the Ministry, Dr. Nasir
Sani Gwarzo, the Petroleum Minister said, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Institute under the leadership of Dr. Adimula was able to weather the storm ,and ensured that, the citadel of learning was at the forefront of realizing the collective vision.
The Ministers while pledging to assist Dr. Adimula in his continuous transformative leadership, congratulated the Management, staff and students on the auspicious occasion and urged the graduands to continue with the confidence and brilliance they have so far exerted and bring into the oil and gas industry new ideas, innovations and inventions that will help transform the country.
Sylva said, with the mandate to increase crude oil production to three million barrels per day, the ministry is already producing about 1.3 million barrels per day, while it is already fixing the Port Harcourt Refinery and Petrochemical Company.
In his address, Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, represented by Commissioner of Higher Education, Professor Patrick Mobuoghare, congratulated the entire Management, staff and students of the Institute.
He admonished the graduands to exhibit both academic content and character in their dealings as they go into the larger society.
“The world you are stepping into does not judge people based purely by the Cumulative Grade Average (CGPA) you have earned while here.
“It goes beyond that. You would be judged alongside academic credentials with the content of your character, the ideals you share, your acute understanding of the immutable concept of right and wrong, your capacity to be curious beyond the capacity of your core academic competencies.
“You will be judged by how you comport yourself; how you’re able to apply yourself to the realities of the ever-changing and the fluidity of the post-modern world.”
The governor , said his administration in line with the SMART Agenda, believes that , providing quality education is the most powerful weapon that can be used to change the world; hence, the recent upgrade of the College of Education, Agbor, the state-owned Polytechnic, Ozoro in Isoko North to full-fledged Universities.
Earlier in his welcome address, Principal and Chief Executive of PTI, Dr. Henry Adimula, who described the ceremony as one of joy in the annals of the institute, congratulated the graduands for being found worthy in learning and character.
While reeling out the achievements of the institution, to include the establishment of world-class diving school, collaboration with Oil producers Trade Section ( OPTS), ISSO 9001- 2015 certifications, National Skill Quality framework (NSQF) among others, the Principal thanked the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Sylva and his staff for supporting the institute.
He, however, solicited urgent assistance in the areas of capacity-building for staff, upgrade of the institute’s printing press, software licences for laboratories and workshops’ equipment bought by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and research and training grants for staff.
A total of 2,297 students from the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 academic sessions were conferred with diplomas and Certificates.
Out of the number, 1, 408 were awarded National Diplomas, 1, 153, Higher National Diplomas and 16 graduands received the PTI General Welding Certificates, with no fewer than 161 bagged Distinctions, while 810 students graduated with Upper Credit grades.
Dignitaries at the colourful event included former General Secretary of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, representatives of various corporate bodies, representative of oil and gas companies and agencies, sister institutions and traditional rulers, among others.
Adetunji Olabode with a CGPA of 3.75 and Miss Peter Jose’s Vwegba of the departments of Petroleum Engineering and Natural Gas Processing Technology (PNGPD) and Petroleum Engineering and Geo-Sciences (PEG) emerged overall best graduating students in the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 academic sessions, respectively.
Meanwhile, Miss Peter, who carted home no fewer than 11 prizes comprising cash, a laptop and scholarship, emerged the overall best graduating student (including the female category) with the highest CGPA of 3.93.
Speaking with our Correspondent visibly elated , Miss Peter, who was the toast of all present, attributed her achievement to discipline, hard work, prayers and believing in one’s self.
“….let me give you a secret. Believe in yourself or find someone to believe in you.” Vwegba ,said
