Tema, Oct 27, GNA- Oil and Gas Development Corporation (OGDC), a UK based oil company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PSC Tema Shipyard Limited to provide various services on mobile offshore drilling Units.

The partnership would help promote the energy business in the country as a result of the increased oil and gas activity along the Gulf of Guinea.

Among the activities to be undertaken under the agreement are the refurbishment and reactivation of mobile offshore drilling units currently operating in and transiting through the Gulf of Guinea, Mr George Karstein Irvine, Vice President of OGDC made this known to newsmen in Tema.

Mr Irvine said the Shipyard would provide the entire range of ship-repair and engineering services while the local manpower suppliers such as Genesis and Aquatec, a Diving and Marine Company provides the additional local skilled labour with the OGDC coming in with its expertise in management to support. He said under the agreement, the OGDC, which has operated in Nigeria for the past 15 years and currently also operating in the country for the past six months.

It has complied with the country's Labour Laws by offering jobs to about 300 Ghanaians, making up about 80 percent of the work force. He said with the assistance of local contractors the Company plans to organise training programmes to impart the expertise to local employees to be "certificated to an international recognised standard" to stimulate the growth of local capacity. Mr Irvine stated that his outfit has also signed a contract with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) for the services of its facilities like cranes and generators among others, noting that, the Tema port was the most conducive one along the West Africa sub-region.