Training in renewable energy

UB partners with Addax Petroleum, SW mayors
By Ajongakou Santos in Buea

Donated equipment for energy production

The Faculty of Engineering and Technology of the University of Buea has received some equipment worth over 97 million from Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company. Created since 1993, the faculty only went operational in 2010 with the following programmes; Telecommunication Engineering, Power System Engineering, Soft Ware Engineering and Network Engineering.
    The equipment which comprised of a Programmable Logic Controller (controls machines from distance), Direct Current Power Supply (gives opportunity to choose from a variety of current volts), and Signal Generators come after the faculty addressed its difficulty to get equipment for its modern laboratory.
    It was a twin ceremony of Addax Petroleum’s donation of laboratory equipment to the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and the launching of the University of Buea- South West Mayor’s partnership for renewable energy.
    Present at the twin ceremonies where, the Secretary General at the Ministry Of Higher Education, Mr.Ngomo Horace Manga (representing the minister), the Secretary General at the South West Governor’s office, the S.D.O for Fako, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea-Prof. Nalova Lyonga, the 1st Deputy Mayor at the Buea Council (representing the Mayor), some chiefs and other dignitaries of the South West Region.
    The first Memorandum of understanding signed between the University of Buea and Addax Petroleum was lauded by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology – Prof. Tanyi Emmanuel- who said, UB is lucky to have such equipment and to partner with such an company. To the Vice Chancellor, Addax has answered to UB’s call for the need to effectively educate her technology students by matching theory with practice.

    The president and General Manager of Addax Petroleum- Roger Bermond- confirmed the fact that, the machines have already installed in UB’s technology laboratories. He added that UB’s procurement of other facilities to make the equipment work effectively was proof of mutual understanding.
    Part two of the ceremony saw the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding between Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company and the 31 Mayors of the South West’s 31 councils. The MoU with the 31 Mayors looked at the possibilities of pushing forward development in the South West Region by testing renewable energy, some of which have already been installed on the Campus of the University of Buea. To that effect, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology said the signing of the MoU with the South West mayors comes 10 months after (22nd June 2014) the two partners meet to discuss the possibilities of bringing development to the region in the domain of renewable energy.
    This gesture between the Petroleum Company, the mayors and the University of Buea according to the Secretary General at the ministry of Higher Education- Prof. Ngomo Horace Manga- is applaudable as it dictates UB’s drive for the Multi-Stakeholder approach. He however also called on the University to take care of the jewel from Addax Petroleum.
    Addax Petroleum’s donations are in a gear given that the University of Buea is the second University benefiting from her donations after the University of Douala. According to the president and general manager of Addax Petroleum, the next university to benefit will be the University of Yaounde I’s department of Geology.