Takoradi, Sept. 3, GNA - A day's Oil and Gas seminar for media personnel within the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis has ended with a call on journalists to study the oil and gas laws, to enable them play effective advocacy roles in educating the public. The seminar organised by Oil Field Training Centre (OTC) Limited and the Global Energy Ventures (GEV) Ghana Limited, in collaboration with the Western Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), formed part of series of media interaction and education aimed at broadening their scope and enlightening them on opportunities, challenges and the roles that the media could play to educate the citizenry. Mr George A. Naykene, Regional Chairman, GJA called on players in the oil and gas industry to endeavour to make information available to the media, to help in sensitizing the citizenry, particularly those in the Western Region to aid in accurate reportage. "That is why we are so grateful to these companies for such a training programme which is tailored towards media needs, and aimed at exposing us to the various challenges and activities in the oil and gas sector," he said.

Mr. Naykene noted that the media would continue to play its watchdog role adding, "We will expect all stakeholders in the industry to be transparent and objective in their dealings". Mr Gavin King, Manager in charge of Training, OTC, noted that his company was looking forward to collaborate and train students from the technical and polytechnics institutions to enable them gain employment in the oil field. He noted that safety continued to be their watchword in order to prevent needless injuries and disasters that sometimes occurred in such fields. Mr. Paul Yeboah of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation noted that government was committed in making the sector beneficial to humankind. Mr. Vincent Annan, Executive Secretary of the Western Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called on oil and gas operators to build the capacity of the local people in order to ensure that quality standard was maintained. He also urged the GNPC to endeavour to remove all barriers to local and indigenous business, as well as, setting up a secretariat to take care of local needs.