UNOSAT News

Tue, 01 Dec 2009

First Batch of UNITAR Trainees for Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited departs to Norway for Training in Instrumentation Electro/Tubing

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UNITAR Office in Port-Harcourt - Nigeria became operational with effect from 26th March 2006, and committed to bringing the huge institutional capacity development programme and initiatives of the Institute to the easily accessible benefit of relevant public and private sector operators in the country. However, activities in the past three and half years have been concentrated with public and private sector partners in the Niger Delta Region. Ever since its inception, the Office has built sustainable partnerships, acquiring unique field experience and knowledge of critical challenges of the Niger Delta Region, and offering its many years of training and research expertise to public and private sectors for the institutional capacity development objectives of their respective organizations. In 2006 UNITAR/PHPO finalized a major collaborative agreement with Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited. The preliminary focus of collaboration was on how best to assess development needs of host communities and to how best deliver training to capture and retain knowledge and how best to build upon acquired knowledge for community development and corporate social responsibility. Following implementation of agreed activities of the preliminary agreement, both UNITAR/PHPO and Total E&P Sustainable Development Unit are able to capitalize capacity development for the growth and development of the Unit and host communities alike.

In 2009 the collaboration between the two Organisations was renewed for a period of three years. Principal areas of focus include:

Technical capacity development for OML 58 Upgrade – OML 58 Upgrade project skills requirement for local content – capacity development is focused on providing the project with requisite skills in millwright, instrumentation electro/tubing, cable tray, drilling, quality maintenance and safety supervisors and specialized industry based welding skills.
Capacity development in project development and management for Community Development Foundations.
Governance and Leadership – for community leaders and community based organisations and incubation of more and viable community based foundations.
UNITAR/HP MAP – principally, HP/MAP is about demonstration of how entrepreneurs can improve success of their business using information and communication technology – ideally, the strategy focuses on helping micro-entrepreneurs start up or run businesses with right tools and clear ideas about the challenges and possible solutions. This falls within Total E&P Regional Development and Growth Pole Concept.
Participatory consultation approaches in development decision formulation.

As a result of this phase of UNITAR/Total E&P collaboration, PHPO Office designed oil and gas industry specific trainings for 40 selected trainees from Total E&P host communities in Egi/Rivers State of Nigeria. Trainings will take place in facilities in Norway and Namibia. First batch of 10 trainees departed Nigeria for Norway on 31 October 2009 and have since commenced training. First batch of Namibia trainees will depart for Namibia on 15 November 2009 to begin training in a facility located at Walvis Bay. Trainees in other areas of specialization are expected to follow in January 2010.