By Kofi Ahovi
The government has declared its intentions to collaborate with Trinidad and Tobago to find out how best to manage Ghana’s oil resources.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor Deputy Energy Minister, after meeting with a high level delegation from Trinidad and Tobago last week said "We will look at the Trinidad and Tobago model," adding that the government would collaborate more with that country to tap into its rich expertise and experience in the exploration of oil and management of the resources.
The Trinidad and Tobago model of managing oil ensures that local firms actively participate in the oil industry as well as maximise the benefits of oil by exploring the use of by-products. “This is one of the measures being undertaken to ensure that Ghanaians benefit fully from the country's oil find,” Dr. Donkor stressed.
The deputy minister added that it was vital that adequate measures were taken to make the oil find a blessing to the citizenry.
The delegation led by Victoria Mendez-Charles, High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago in Abuja, Nigeria; paid a one week visit to the country as part of an investment exploration.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor, expressed optimism that the collaboration would yield mutual benefits as well as strengthen the relations between the two countries.
He said one of government's priorities in the oil sector was to build the necessary human resource capacity to effectively manage the industry, adding that Ghana would not hesitate to work with Trinidad and Tobago in that regard.
Mendez-Charles, for her part, commended Ghana for its democratic and economic progress, saying her country was desirous of enhanced relations with Ghana.
She said her country was known world wide for its success in petrol and oil exploration.
"It is this experience of about 50 years that we have come to share with Ghana," she said.
She said it was necessary for Ghana to involve local participation as much as possible in the oil industry.
She noted that the government of Trinidad and Tobago believed that the promotion of south-south cooperation was vital to the growth of developing countries, especially in Africa.
Touching on Trinidad’s oil development model, she said "we see oil resources as an engine for effective national development."
Apart from the oil sector, she said the visit to Ghana was also to explore other business opportunities for partnership between investors in the two countries.
The delegation, during their visit, also met business associations including the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).
Trinidad and Tobago, with a population of over 1.3 million, is one of the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean, thanks to its large reserves of oil and gas, the exploitation of which dominates its economy.
Inhabited mostly by people of African and Indian descent, the two-island state enjoys a per capita income of over 14,000 dollars, exports of its natural gas to the US.
The government has declared its intentions to collaborate with Trinidad and Tobago to find out how best to manage Ghana’s oil resources.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor Deputy Energy Minister, after meeting with a high level delegation from Trinidad and Tobago last week said "We will look at the Trinidad and Tobago model," adding that the government would collaborate more with that country to tap into its rich expertise and experience in the exploration of oil and management of the resources.
The Trinidad and Tobago model of managing oil ensures that local firms actively participate in the oil industry as well as maximise the benefits of oil by exploring the use of by-products. “This is one of the measures being undertaken to ensure that Ghanaians benefit fully from the country's oil find,” Dr. Donkor stressed.
The deputy minister added that it was vital that adequate measures were taken to make the oil find a blessing to the citizenry.
The delegation led by Victoria Mendez-Charles, High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago in Abuja, Nigeria; paid a one week visit to the country as part of an investment exploration.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor, expressed optimism that the collaboration would yield mutual benefits as well as strengthen the relations between the two countries.
He said one of government's priorities in the oil sector was to build the necessary human resource capacity to effectively manage the industry, adding that Ghana would not hesitate to work with Trinidad and Tobago in that regard.
Mendez-Charles, for her part, commended Ghana for its democratic and economic progress, saying her country was desirous of enhanced relations with Ghana.
She said her country was known world wide for its success in petrol and oil exploration.
"It is this experience of about 50 years that we have come to share with Ghana," she said.
She said it was necessary for Ghana to involve local participation as much as possible in the oil industry.
She noted that the government of Trinidad and Tobago believed that the promotion of south-south cooperation was vital to the growth of developing countries, especially in Africa.
Touching on Trinidad’s oil development model, she said "we see oil resources as an engine for effective national development."
Apart from the oil sector, she said the visit to Ghana was also to explore other business opportunities for partnership between investors in the two countries.
The delegation, during their visit, also met business associations including the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).
Trinidad and Tobago, with a population of over 1.3 million, is one of the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean, thanks to its large reserves of oil and gas, the exploitation of which dominates its economy.
Inhabited mostly by people of African and Indian descent, the two-island state enjoys a per capita income of over 14,000 dollars, exports of its natural gas to the US.
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