By Godfred Zina
The Senior Lecturer of the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Dr. Richard Amorin has attributed their win for the 2021 Edition of the Ghana Gas Challenge to the Training the Institutions offered to its students.
Speaking with Host Valerie Danso on the GTV Breakfast Show on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, Dr. Amorin said their programs are such that they give their students the opportunity to become more adoptive critical thinkers and some practical hands-on experience in their work.
“Combining with the Challenge [Covid] wasn’t too difficult a thing to do so I believe the kind of Training we gave them has actually helped them to be able to come this far. I will say the kind of Training we give to our students, we try as much as possible to combine the theory and practical aspects”.
According to him, UMaT is noted for excellence within and beyond the borders of Ghana.
“In 2019, it wasn’t a difficult task because it was the first time, but trying to defend it actually came with challenges. Looking at the issues with Covid and not having easy interactions with friends like the face to face interaction, so we did what we usually do, our programs are such that we give our students the opportunity to be able to become more adoptive critical thinkers, they are able to have some practical hands on in their work”.
A Petroleum and Engineering Student of UMAT and Contestant in the just ended Gas competition , Justice Appiah Nuamah added that, the knowledge imparted in their team made them different from others.
“In UMAT we are taught to reason beyond the classroom, what makes us different in the competition is the knowledge we are giving, clearly you could see from yesterday’s completion.
Meanwhile, a Petroleum and Engineering Student of UMAT and the Best Female Student of the competition, Maame Aba Kwegyir Abaidoo expressed her excitement and gratitude to her instructors.
“I am excited throughout other female Contestants that were presented by other Institutions. I came out as the best, that shows that there are differences between the Training I am being given in my Institution and theirs. So for my victory as the Best Female Participant, I will thank the Almighty God first and also thank my Vice Chancellor, the Dean , my Coach, all Lecturers and my School for supporting me to come this far”, she said.
Chairperson of the Committee, for the Gas Challenge, Justina Osei Asare, shared some reasons behind the introduction of the Competition.
”Gaps were found and there was the need for young people to take on the baton and help manage it, including low reportage of gas stories”.
Background
The Competition is part of the Ghana National Gas Company’s effort to bridge the gap between industry and academia, as well as educate the Public about its operations.
The same Tertiary Institutions competed for the trophy at the Grand Finale in the 1st Edition of the Ghana Gas Challenge, which was held in 2019, with UMaT emerging as the Champions.
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Ghana, no Competitions were held in 2020.
The defending Champions, the University of Mines and Technology, have won the trophy for the Second time and for the first time in a row.
The Competition’s Winners, UMaT, received a cash prize of GH₵ 10,000, with Laptops for all Contestants, a citation and winners plaque.
The Contestants would also have their Labs on Campus refurbished.
An 8-week fully sponsored Industrial attachment at the Company’s operational site also awaits the Contestants.
KNUST, the first runner-up, received a cash prize of GH₵ 5,000, laptops for the Contestants, and a citation and plaque for the Institution.
The University of Ghana, which finished second, received a cash prize of GH₵ 3,000, laptops for the participants, and a plaque and citation for the Institution.