Published: 17 Feb 2017 Source: University Relations Office (URO)
The Centre for Oil Chemicals Research (CEFOR), of the University of Port Harcourt has expressed interest in collaborating with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). This came to light when a delegation from the University of Port Harcourt paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Ndowa E. Lale, Vice-Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Leader of the Delegation, stated that CEFOR’s areas of specialisation are petroleum and petrochemical engineering and is one of the ten (10) centres of excellence in Nigeria funded by the World Bank under the Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) project to address regional development challenges in the oil and gas and allied industries.
Professor Lale noted that motivation for establishing the centre is the desire to promote home grown and regional research networks that will help to develop the human capital in Africa.
It is in this mandate that the ACE seeks to collaborate KNUST among others to enhance their efforts at developing young faculties, undertaking joint research projects and undertaking joint supervision of graduate student.
Professor Lale was confident that his outfit is well positioned to deliver professional and high quality service through capacity building and cutting-edge research. He hoped the partnership will be more deepened with a memorandum of understanding in the near future.
Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Vice-Chancellor, stated that KNUST has trained over 95% of engineers and health workers in Ghana with presence in the West African sub region with presence in Africa and the United Arab Emirates in training the requisite manpower for global competiveness. He said that KNUST has made huge investments in faculty, infrastructure, equipment and logistics in training its students.
Citing the oil and gas laboratory in the College of Engineering, he said the University had invested about 8 million Euros in equipment for the laboratory among several others in all Colleges of the University.
A partnership with KNUST was therefore timely and welcome to help in the capacity building of teaching assistants, lecturers, young faculty members and students. He hoped the partnership will be rewarding to both institutions and countries as a whole.
The Port Harcourt team was also represented by Professor Regina Ogali, Professor Ogbonna Joel and Professor Ayoade Kuye.