The Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indo­nesia in Ghana, Mr Paskal A.B.

Rois, has paid a courtesy call on the Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Ms Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, in Accra.The visit formed part of a stra­tegic move to bolster ties between the two countries and explore ways of collaborating for a common good.It also focused on exploring investment opportunities and partnership in the upstream oil and gas industry.Mr Rois highlighted Indone­sia's extensive experience in both offshore and onshore oil and gas operations.He emphasised that both state-owned enterprises and private companies in Indonesia had interest and were willing to partner Ghana in developing its oil sector.Mr Rois specifically mentioned PT Pertamina, Indonesia's state-owned oil and Gas Corporation, as a potential partner eager to invest in Ghana's energy sector.He also used the occasion to introduce a number of educational opportunities that offered schol­arship to students including the Indonesian government's KNB Scholarship, which offers Ghana­ian students, especially those in engineering, the chance to study in Indonesia.Mr Rois said the Petroleum Commission could leverage this programme to train staff and enhance local expertise.Furthermore, he suggested collaboration with Pertamina Uni­versity for short courses and full academic programmes tailored to the oil and gas industry.On her part, Ms Hardcastle wel­comed the prospect of Indonesian investment, noting that Ghana has several available blocks in deep-sea, shallow waters, and onshore areas suitable for exploration and development.She expressed enthusiasm about the potential for collaboration, particularly in areas of skills and technology transfer.Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle expressed interest in these edu­cational initiatives and called for immediate collaboration to train Ghanaian professionals, thereby strengthening the country's work­force in the energy sector.Additionally, the CEO invited Indonesian companies to partic­ipate in the upcoming Africa Oil Week in Ghana.She said the week marked the first time the event would be held in the country.Indonesia, with a population ex­ceeding 280 million and compris­ing approximately 17,024 islands, is renowned for its robust oil and gas industry and is the fourth most populous country globally.The nation's expertise and re­sources present valuable opportu­nities for collaboration with Ghana in the energy sector.The meeting signifies a step for­ward in strengthening the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Ghana, with mutual benefits anticipated in energy development, education, and economic growth. BY CLIFF EKUFUL