By Fredrick Wright
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has reiterated that the Minimum Industry Safety Training for Downstream Operations (MISTDO) is a compulsory programme introduced to safeguard operations in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
Head, Public Affairs, DPR, Paul Osu, in a statement said the MISTDO programme covers depots, petrol stations, product pipelines, LPG plants and petroleum trucks.
He said the programme, which was launched following extensive collaborations with relevant stakeholders including IPMAN, was a direct response to upsurge in downstream sector accidents and operational mishaps leading to high casualty and fatality rates averaging 54 fatalities yearly within a five year period.
“The objectives of MISTDO amongst others include to enforce and standardize basic training for downstream workers and to provide industry reference for prospective trainees.
“The programme requires robust accreditation of training centers for existing workers and new entrants into the downstream sector, where successful trainees are issued a certificate valid for two years at a negotiated cost between the trainees and the certified training centres.
“Please note that DPR does not charge the trainees for the MISTDO programme,” Osu stated.
To further ensure transparency of operations between the training centers and trainees, he said the DPR made it mandatory for trainers to publish their cost of providing training on the MISTDO portal managed by DPR
The Department however assured of its commitment to continue to provide robust oversight for safety of operations in the Nigerian oil and gas industry in line with global best practices to ensure business sustainability.
