THE government has called for increased cooperation with the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to train skilled workers to effectively manage Tanzania's oil and gas industry.

During the launch of a master’s programme initiative focused on engineering fields related to oil, gas and extractive industries in Dar es Salaam at the weekend, Prof Daniel Mushi, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, emphasized the urgent need for skilled professionals to maximize the country's natural resources.

“This significant investment from EACOP, costing approximately $116,000, aims to cultivate experts who will oversee project execution. Many of the individuals may eventually join academic staff,” he stated. He urged that master’s scholarships be extended to ensure a larger pool of qualified personnel for resource exploitation.

Out of the 501 applicants for sponsorship, only 12 candidates were selected based on their professional capabilities. Applicants hailed from the University of Dar es Salaam, Mbeya University and Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT). The successful candidates will undergo a rigorous 18-month training programme funded by the Daqing Oilfield Construction Group Ltd (DOCG), EACOP’s contractor for the Tanga tank and terminal.

The six programmes offered include chemical and process engineering, power electronics and electrical engineering, structural engineering, oil and gas technology, production engineering and petroleum engineering.

Prof Mushi praised the collaboration between EACOP and various education institutions, including VETA colleges, for the hands-on training provided to workers. He noted that EACOP has established a gas and oil institute, initiated an internship programme and sponsors workers’ training abroad in gas and oil industry.

Prof. Bonaventure Rutinwa, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Dar es Salaam, pledged strong cooperation with EACOP in implementing the initiative. 

“We appreciate EACOP’s choice to partner with our university; they have selected the right institution. The students are likely to become future lecturers and we are committed to supporting them as much as possible,” he said.

Chu Dayong, DOCG Tanzania Branch Manager, said that the 12 master’s scholarships would enable talented Tanzanians to pursue advanced degrees in crucial fields for the country’s economic future. 

“Our responsibility extends to ensuring that Tanzanians play a leading role in the country’s growth story,” he said. 

Neema Kweka, EACOP Local Content Manager, noted that the event exemplified EACOP’s commitment to implementing Tanzania’s local content policy. 

She explained that EACOP collaborates with local education institutions, having contributed to capacity building of instructors and improved infrastructure at the University of Dar es Salaam, Arusha Technical School and VETA campuses in Moshi, Shinyanga and Tanga as well as the Bandari College. 

Additionally, she mentioned that 36 EACOP vendors and suppliers have received training in China, Singapore, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Oman and France with 50 instructors also trained.