In pursuit of this strategic move, a high-powered delegation from KNUST paid a courtesy call on the Chief Executive Officer of the PHDC, Dr Toni Aubynn, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, to express their interest and explore areas of collaboration. The delegation proposed that KNUST serve as the training hub for the skilled workforce required for the Petroleum Hub project.
Welcoming the delegation, led by the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Asamoah, Dr Toni Aubynn described KNUST’s move as exciting and visionary and commended the university’s leadership for identifying the Petroleum Hub as a strategic partner with immense potential.
Dr Aubynn expressed PHDC’s appreciation, noting that the meeting represents a paradigm shift, with educational institutions now showing greater determination to strengthen ties between academia and industry.
He disclosed that providing a ready workforce for the development and operation of the Petroleum Hub is a core mandate of the PHDC and that collaborating with one of the country’s leading institutions, like KNUST, would be a significant step toward fulfilling this mandate.
Dr Aubynn further stated that, once completed, the Petroleum Hub project will become the heart of the country’s socio-economic development and that partnering with KNUST and other key institutions in human capital development, engineering, and urban and community planning would significantly advance the project.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Professor David Asamoah stated that KNUST has rolled out a ten-year strategic plan aimed at positioning the university as a key partner to major national institutions. He noted that the Petroleum Hub project represents a major opportunity to implement this strategic plan.
Prof. Asamoah added that KNUST and PHDC share a common goal of building a prosperous, skilled, and sustainable Ghana, and that a strong partnership would help achieve this vision.
He expressed profound gratitude to the PHDC for the warm reception and its readiness to collaborate with the university.
At the end of the meeting, both institutions agreed to establish a joint working committee to identify specific areas of collaboration and formalise the partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The KNUST delegation included Dr Kwame Sarkodie and Professor Edmund Ekuadzi, Dean of the International Programs Office.
Some members of PHDC Management were also present at the meeting.
About the Petroleum Hub Project
The Petroleum Hub Project will be located in Jomoro, in Ghana’s Western Region. The hub will comprise three refineries with a total capacity of 900,000 barrels per stream day (BPSD) and five petrochemical plants with a minimum capacity of 90,000 BPSD. Storage tanks with a cumulative capacity of 10 million cubic meters and at least two jetties to support import and export activities.
The project is poised to position Ghana as a leading petroleum and petrochemical hub in Africa, enhancing regional energy security and economic integration.
