Kumasi, June 16, GNA - The Department of Chemical Engineering of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi would begin a programme in Petrochemical Engineering this year. Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwah, Vice-Chancellor of the university who announced this said it was to support the development of the oil and gas industry following the oil find in Ghana. He was speaking at the second batch of the 43rd Congregation of KNUST in Kumasi on Tuesday.

About 466 students of College of Engineering graduated with Bachelor of Science Degrees in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, Petroleum Engineering and Telecommunications Engineering. Out of them, 47 students obtained First Class degrees and 212 students obtained Second Class Upper Division degrees. Professor Adarkwah appealed to Government for a special scholarship scheme to train brilliant students who would undertake courses in the programme to benefit the nation.

He reminded engineering students that they had a crucial role to play in the nation's socio-economic endeavours; therefore, they should work hard to find solutions to some major problems confronting Ghana. These include frequent power outages, exploitation of oil, importation of inferior electrical parts and equipment, bad signals from mobile telecom providers, television and radio stations.