Uganda

Train of Trainers graduation in Kampala, Uganda

On the 9th of August 2010, graduation was held in Kampala, Uganda. Before the graduation, 12 instructors and scientists from UPIK, UIRI and Nakawa Technical Institute underwent intensive training during 4 weeks on topic such as Health Safety Environment, Drilling, Well services and Completion.

Professor Charles Kwesiga, the Executive director of UIRI, was the chief guest who handed over the certificates and the course package to the graduates. Oystein Forsvoll from RKK Stavanger was also attended the graduation.
The ToT is one of the five modules of the Petroleum Education project in Uganda.

Carl Andriamparany from RKK Namibia and Oystein Forsvoll from RKK Stavanger with the graduates

Train of trainer programme for the UPIK Petroleum Education in Uganda was just kicked-off today in Kampala, Uganda

This programme is one of the five components of the Petroleum Education Project RKK has been contracted for in Uganda. The duration of the training is for four (4) weeks and it will cover Introduction to Oil and Gas and HSE topics.
The training is taking place at the Ugandan Industrial Research Institute premises in Nakawa Industrial Area in Kampala. Richard Reyerson from RKK is facilitating the training and Carl Andriamparany from RKK Namibia is supervising the activities on behalf of RKK Management.

Richard Reyerson from RKK busy with his lecturing

RKK mission in Uganda, 5. - 10. April 2010

Carl Andriamparany and Carl Williams from RKK Namibia and Øystein Førsvoll from RKK/SOTS went on a mission to Kampala in April 2010 on behalf of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. This is the first step in a longterm collaboration project aimed at developing the necessary infrastructure for petroleum education in Uganda.

Photo: Meeting the Director of Curriculum Development Centre; from left to right Øystein Førsvoll (RKK Stavanger), a TVET specialist at the Curriculum development Centre (unnamed), Connie Kateeba (Director of Curriculum Development Centre), Andriamparany Carl (RKK Namibia), Lioydah Kiconco (PEPD Entebbe), James Opiyo (UIRI Kampala), and Herbert Mugizi (PEPD Entebbe)

The Norwegian government supported “Oil for Development” programme has development of oil and gas skills among Ugandans as one of its main objectives. The goal of the programme is to make Uganda manage the petroleum resources in a way that generates economic growth and welfare to the population in general in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Uganda is a confirmed oil province and oil discoveries have been made, and it could be the largest onshore discovery in sub-Saharan Africa. The majority if not all of oil discoveries have been declared commercial, with an estimate of 2 billion barrels crude oil discovered in Lake Albert basin.

The oil sector in Uganda is regulated under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) and the functions of government with regard to upstream petroleum sector Management are organised in PEPD, Entebbe.

In the context of national capacity building and local content development, there is a main objective which is to have Ugandans educated and trained in Oil and Gas skills, and different institutions are involved in it. In this context, MEMD, PEPD, Ministry of Education, the Business Technical Vocational Education and Training, and UIRI are working together.

In mid-March the Ugandan Petroleum Institute of Kigumba was officially opened with a group of 28 students and a pool of instructors composed of 6 teachers. At this moment, UPIK Kigumba is managed by a secretariat which is hosted by the UIRI in Kampala.

On commission from NPD/PEPD, RKK team went to Uganda last week on a five day mission to meet the different stakeholders of the UPIK Kigumba Institute.

RKK were represented by Øystein Førsvoll from RKK’s head office in Stavanger, Carl Williams, Operations Manager RKK Namibia Office and Carl Andriamparany, Project Manager RKK Namibia Office.

Photo above: Meeting UPIK Management Team

Visit at the Nakawa Vocational School

RKK went to Nakawa Vocational School. UPIK students will use Nakawa facilities for practical training.

Photo: Carl Williams with the Vice-Prinicipal of Nakawa Vocational School

Visit at Kigumba Co-operative College

Vocational education takes high priority in Uganda

On commission from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, RKK is currently working on a pre-project in Uganda. The project is aimed at assisting local authorities to establish an infrastructure for oil and gas training in preparation for impending petroleum production in the country. The authorities stress the importance of local content, including the use of local labour at all levels. ”The Norwegian Model” for this is well known and will be a motivating factor for the development of relevant institutions.

A delegation from RKK was in Uganda in the week 7 – 11 December 2009 to study the current infrastructure and discuss strategy with authorities at different levels. The delegation comprising Managing Director Ole Imsland, Project Director Øystein Førsvoll and Project Coordinator Nadjoina Shalumbo had meetings with First Secretary Per Kristian Johansen and Energy Advisor Nils Dårflot at the Norwegian Embassy in Kampala.

At the Uganda Industrial Research Institute the RKK delegation met Executive Director Prof. Charles G. Kwesiga who gave the visitors a briefing on the work and strategy relating to the preparations for oil production in Uganda. A number of meetings/excursions with visits to Makerere University, the Ministry of Education and Sports, Nakawa and Lugogo Laboratories (for vocational education) were very interesting and showed that the current infrastructure provides a good basis for further development.

Photo above and below: Visit to the Uganda Industrial Research Institute

Photo below: Visit to the Nakawa Vocational Training Institute

Photo below: Visit to Makerere University

Of particular interest was the delegation’s visit to Uganda Co-Operative College in Kigumba (about a 4-hour car-ride from Kampala). This is where the first oil-related courses will start in January 2010, and there are also plans for building a petroleum training centre in the same area. Work was already in progress on preparing for the imminent start of training courses.

Photo above and below: Visit to the Uganda Co-Operative College in Kigumba

A summary of the plans and preparations for further work was drawn up during discussions with the management of the Department of Petroleum Exploration and Production under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in Entebbe. Mr. Fred Kabanda and Lyoidah Kiconco gave a detailed briefing on the status of the work and future plans. RKK will present its conclusions and recommendations shortly.

Information about Uganda:

• Uganda on Wikipedia
• CIA – World Factbook - Uganda
• Uganda - Lonely Planet