On Wednesday, 20th March 2024, the Provost of the College of Engineering, Prof Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko, constituted the KNUST Petroleum Industry Advisory Board (KPIAB) for the Department of Petroleum Engineering to establish effective linkage between the Department and the oil and gas industry. The board consists of key personnel from all segments of the Industry and is Chaired by the Director of Local Content at the Petroleum Commission, Mr. Kwaku Boateng.
The board will facilitate partnerships to help bridge the academia-industry gap in the oil and gas sector to help the Department train field-ready graduates, align research to industrial needs, access support from the industry and effectively deploy its facilities and resources to help the country pursue its Local Content and Local Participation goals.
Other members of the board include Mr. Richard Addo Darko (Petroleum Commission), Mr. Victor Kofi Sunu-attah (GNPC), Mrs. Naa Opoku-Agyeman (Yinson Production), Dr. Riverson Oppong (AOMC), Dr. Mohammed Ben Issaka (Saudi Aramco), Mrs. Zulaika Mate (ENI Production), Mr. Benjamin Boakye (ACEP), Mrs. Nidra M.A.Y Yebuah (SLB), Mr. John Swatson (BHGE), Dr. Yen Adams Sokama-Neuyam (Head, Department of Petroleum Engineering) and Prof. Kwaku Amaning Adjei (Dean, Faculty of Civil and Geo-Engineering).
The objectives of the board are to foster collaboration between the Department and industry stakeholders through joint research projects that directly address evolving challenges and advancements within the Ghana petroleum industry, advise the Department on emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in the petroleum sector to enhance its curriculum and seamlessly align its programmes with industry needs and facilitate industry-academia activities that will establish enduring relationships that mutually benefit both the Department and industry stakeholders.
