A statement issued by the British High Commission in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the aim of the visit was to gain a thorough understanding of local market conditions while investigating local investment opportunities.

The statement said it was intended this would be achieved through Scottish companies partnering with local Ghanaian oil and gas companies interested in bringing new technologies and skills to Ghana.

The trade mission to Ghana was led by Mr Cameron Douglas, Trade Executive for Sub-Saharan Africa at Scottish Development International (SDI)–Scotland, UK. Commenting, Cameron said: ‘’Scotland has long been recognised as a major oil and gas hub, with the depth, breadth and strength of skills and experience within the Scottish sector renowned throughout the world.

"Scotland’s role in the global oil and gas industry has long been characterised by constant evolution and development, with Aberdeen at its forefront.   "Scotland has a strong history of bringing successful trade delegations to Ghana, seen by many as the gateway to the West African oil and gas sector. In April, we brought a group of 19 companies to Ghana, while in June 2017 a similar delegation of 14 companies visited.

"We are now bringing another record breaking delegation to Ghana with 21 Scottish companies expected to attend the trade mission this November. "Ghana presents a great opportunity for Scottish companies looking to explore the region, with interest continually growing amongst the Scottish oil and gas supply chain.

"For the first time, we are bringing a second trade mission to a Sub-Saharan market; with Ghana being one of the few markets globally that SDI has taken two oil and gas delegations to this financial year.

"This shows the growing importance being placed on Ghana by Scottish companies, but crucially this interest is mutual, with Ghanaian businesses keen to learn more about the capabilities of the Scottish supply chain and offer the possibility of beneficial local partnerships.”

The statement said in the last six or so months, there had been three Ghanaian oil and gas delegations to Scotland, with the most recent group visiting around Subsea Expo, Aberdeen in February.

It said the group of around 25 delegates connected with a wide range of oil and gas supply chain companies, while attempting to forge partnerships with Scottish companies and import new technologies and skills, together with ways to reduce costs by optimising outputs. It said the visit organised and led by the UK Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) was so successful that another much larger UKGCC trade mission to Aberdeen is being planned.

It noted that though some Scotland-based companies were already operating in Ghana, there was scope for more to be active here through developing partnerships and transferring some of the technologies, educational capabilities and skills that have been built up over the 50 years of operating in the North Sea.

SDI is the international economic development arm of Government in Scotland and provides a broad range of services to support companies and institutions to help them develop their overseas business. SDI also helps overseas businesses tap into Scotland’s key strengths in innovation, knowledge, high levels skills and technology.

Operating in 29 countries around the world, SDI opened its first office in Africa in the British High Commission in Accra in June 2014.   Whilst regional in its geographic focus, sectorally the focus of activity in Africa is primarily oil and gas and education and training related to oil and gas. The following 21 companies are expected to attend the mission: Aberdeen Drilling School, Alba Gaskets, Appaloosa Hyraulics, Aquatic Engineering and Construction, ASET International Oil and Gas Training Academy and Centrifuges Un-Limited.

Others are Control Valve Solutions, EnerMech Mechanical Engineering Services, Fearnley Procter UK, Fletcher Group, Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Hydrasun, JAB Recruitment, OES Asset Integrity Management, Peprime and Tendeka.

The rest are Titan Tools Services, TRAC Oil and Gas, UTEC Survey, University of the West of Scotland and XL Group.