Jobs/Appointments
Ghana’s Foreign Minister Emerges Commonwealth Secretary-General
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has been appointed as the new Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.
Her appointment was at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa, which ended on Saturday, October 26, 2024. She became the 7th scribe of the group.
At the gathering, leaders further reaffirmed their commitment to tackling global economic, environmental and security challenges, while exploring ways to enhance resilience, sustainable trade and inclusive growth and emphasising the empowerment of youth and women.
In a statement, Ms Botchwey noted that the election, indeed, made her the second successive woman to take up the position after Baroness Patricia Scotland, the current office-holder.
With this decision (reached by consensus), the Heads of Government have continued the tradition of making this organization one that makes history.
Thus, it is fitting, to pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II, the former head of the Commonwealth, whose legendary wisdom, and calm, yet courageous stewardship for 70 years exemplified the potential of women’s leadership.
“But this is not to deny the stewardship prospects of King Charles the Third, under whose leadership I look forward to working, alongside that of the Heads of Government and Board, as well as with other Commonwealth affiliate organizations,” she stressed in her statement.
According to her, this occasion marks a new chapter in the shared journey towards deepening democracy, peace, prosperity, and economic progress.
As she takes up the role, she was inspired by the diversity and resilience of the member states. These different states have distinctive differences in political culture, but share a common wealth of values.
Ms Botchwey expressed her vision is to build on these strengths, promoting trade, education, skills development and innovation for the teeming numbers of young people across the Commonwealth.
She, however, promised to provide leadership and work tirelessly with member-states, and in collaboration with other international multilateral institutions, towards addressing climate change which presents a clear existential threat to the Commonwealth.
Her responsibility also includes systematic harnessing of existing opportunities for transformation, and enhancing the organization’s global voice.
She further pledged to prioritize inclusive and effective decision-making, leveraging technology to bridge gaps and amplify marginalized voices, capitalizing on her extensive experience in diplomacy, trade, defence, security, and communications.
Ms Botchwey said she recognizes the fact that she has to effectively mobilize resources and efficiently manage them for the benefit of the Commonwealth.
“Together, we can achieve climate resilience, promote economic transformation, and leverage technology to create opportunities for our young people.
“We can deepen democracy, good governance, intra-Commonwealth trade, build resilient and thriving societies, and resource our organization better,” she stated.
Ms Botchwey expressed gratitude to all and sundry, particularly to President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana.
The next meeting is to be hosted by Antigua and Barbuda in 2026.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and sovereign states which include both advanced economies and developing countries.
It supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and human rights. The secretariat helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt and inequality.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
No fewer than 49 young graduates have been employed in the oil and gas sector after completing an internship programme, which began in 2022.
A graduation ceremony was held for them recently in Port Harcourt, Rivers State after finishing the NCDMB/PETAN/SPDC JV Graduate Internship programme, which has benefitted about 170 young graduates.
The initiative was created by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) Joint Venture in collaboration with the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
During the internship, the fresh graduates are attached to indigenous technical oilfield service companies in the upstream and downstream sectors for hands-on experience.
The scheme, which was established in 2014, has been lauded as a key human capital development initiative which is central to the promotion of Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry.
At the graduation ceremony this month, the chairman of PETAN, Mr Wole Ogunsanya, commended Shell for supporting the programme which is helping to build local manpower for a critical sector of the economy.
The General Manager for Nigerian Content at SPDC, Mr ‘Lanre Olawuyi, said: “The internship is more than a learning opportunity. It provides fresh graduates with technical expertise, equipping them with the practical skills needed to excel in their careers.
“It aligns with SPDC’s broader educational initiatives, contributing significantly to the actualisation of the UNESCO Education for All agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta.
“We owe the success of the programme to the untiring support of our JV partners, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC,) TotalEnergies and Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited for which we’re grateful.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Mr Robert Dalziel has been picked to be the new Managing Director of Interocean Marine Services, as part of the strategies of the company to drive its growth in the Middle East and Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
A statement disclosed that Mr Dalziel was chosen for the task because of his in-depth understanding of Interocean’s operations and strategic objectives.
It was stated that his leadership would ensure a seamless transition into this new role, reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering an integrated technology-led, asset support service.
He joined the organisation in December 2024. He had been the chief executive of Rigmar Group, which recently merged with Interocean, a specialist provider of marine services to the global energy industry.
He comes with nearly 30 years of engineering and business development expertise within the energy sector.
His extensive technical knowledge, coupled with a proven track record in commercial strategy, will be pivotal in driving Interocean’s ambitious growth plans across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) regions.
“We are thrilled to welcome Robert to the team. His exceptional leadership and proven success in driving business growth will be invaluable as we enhance our market presence, and continue to deliver exceptional service to our clients across the region,” the chief operating officer of Interocean, Mr Alex Clark, commented.
The appointee, while speaking, said, “I am absolutely delighted to be rejoining Interocean during this exciting period of growth.
“After nearly 10 years, it was a fantastic opportunity to be involved in the next evolution of the business. The company’s commitment to innovation and its client-centric approach is inspiring.
“I look forward to working with the talented team to drive continued growth and strengthen our position internationally.”
In line with its international expansion, Interocean is growing its MENA & APAC business, with plans to increase its regional presence in five new regions.
This investment demonstrates the company’s dedication to supporting both current and future projects while strengthening its regional capabilities.
Looking ahead to 2025, the company will continue to deliver a comprehensive range of project solutions that encompasses everything from planning, design, and installation to operational maintenance and decommissioning.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Mrs Aisha Garba, an international development specialist, as the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
She is a Senior Education Specialist with the World Bank and is expected to bring more than 24 years of experience driving impactful programmes in education for human and economic development, working in Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Kenya, the USA, and the United Kingdom.
With over 15 years of hands-on experience at the World Bank, Mrs Garba has consistently led end-to-end design and management of education programmes and reforms, from conceptualisation to completion and impact assessment.
Apart from being actively interested in and involved in human development issues, the development specialist will share her rich network with governments, development partners, and communities, as well as the skills she acquired working in fragile, conflict, and violent settings to deliver sustainable solutions in basic education in Nigeria.
Business Post reports that Nigeria has one of the largest out-of-school children in the world.
Mrs Garba had previously worked on the team that met the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets in Nigeria and consulted for the World Bank, Department for International Development, BOND-UK, Regent Foundation, and Muslim Aid Organization.
She is an alumna of Petra American University in Jordan, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts combined degree in English and Computer Studies in 2000.
She later got a Master’s in International Development at the University of Birmingham in the UK in 2007.
According to President Tinubu, she is tasked to drive the renewed hope and vision of providing and supporting quality education and ensuring that Nigerian children become globally competitive.
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