GNPC to establish Research Chair in Petroleum Engineering at KNUST
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is to establish a Research Chair in Petroleum Engineering at the College of Engineering (CoE) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST).
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions for the academic-industry research cooperation for national development has since been signed for that purpose.
Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, the Vice Chancellor and Mr. Ben Andoh, Deputy Registrar, Human Resources Division signed on behalf of KNUST whiles Dr. Kofi Koduah Sarpong, Chief Executive Officer and Ms. Matilda Ohene, Secretary to the Board signed for GNPC.
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Per the MoU, the fund shall be used to support salary implementation, research work in Petroleum Engineering, guest lecturers to augment the teaching and supervision of petroleum Engineering, scholarship and stipend to graduate students, conferences and workshops.
Other areas of support are the establishment of a laboratory for Petroleum Engineering teaching and research, software acquisitions and journal subscriptions, faculty development and refresher training of faculty members, among others.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GNPC Dr. Kofi Koduah Sarpong said his outfit shall commit an equivalent of $250,000 United States dollars per annum over four (4) academic years to support the Chair.
He expressed the hope that funds allocated to the university would be used for the intended purposes in the areas of petroleum, petrochemical, mechanical, civil and other fields of engineering.
Dr. Koduah however added that any breach of the terms of the agreement would see GNPC terminating it after the first year.
He stated that the agreement is for four years and revealed that similar Chairs are to be established at the University of Cape Coast, University of Mines and Technology and the University of Ghana.
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Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Vice-Chancellor, expressed gratitude that after several discussions, the Chair is about to be established.
According to Professor Obiri-Danso, GNPC has collaborated with the university to drive the national agenda through the establishment of the Chair and pledged the University’s adherence to the terms and conditions of the agreement.
He continued that aside this partnership, the GNPC over the years have supported the university in diverse ways, notably, supporting 250 KNUST female students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM) with a scholarship scheme as well as the refurbishment of washrooms in the university to enhance sanitation recently.