The Minority in Parliament has accused government of taking undue credit in the discoveries of the Eban-Akoma oil and gas discoveries.
Addressing the media in Parliament on Monday, July 7 the Deputy Ranking on the Energy Committee, Collins Adomako-Mensah noted that the discoveries and relevant appraisal programmes took place under the Akufo-Addo government.
He says the declaration of commerciality of these two without necessary credit for the past administration must be condemned.
Minority says NDC cannot take credit for the appraisal programme which resulted in the declaration of commerciality of the Eban-Akoma discoveries.
“The said statement with the subject: DECLARATIONOF COMMERCIALITY FOR EBAN-AKOMA DISCOVERIES MARKS MAJOR MILESTONE IN GHANA’S UPSTREAM PETROLEUM SECTOR represents a failed and shambolic attempt to credit the Mahama administration with success it has no hand in,” the Minority noted.
The Minority claimed that in 2019 following approval by the Petroleum Commission under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration, Eni Ghana drilled a well known as the Akoma-1X Well in the Cape Three Points-Block 4 Contract Area and announced a discovery of gas and condensate from that Well on May 19, 2019.
The Caucus claimed that Eni Ghana issued a press release announcing the Akoma Discovery in May 2019. The Minority asserted that Eni once again announced a discovery of oil following its drilling of another well known as the Eban-1X. The Eban Discovery, thus became the second discovery by Eni within two years. Eni published the Eban Discovery at its website on July 6, 2021.
For these reason, the Caucus believes that both the Akoma and Eban Discoveries were made under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration; and were among other discoveries made under that administration as a result of a deliberate plan for reserve replacement.
“The Akoma and Eban Discoveries were all made within Cape Three Points-Block 4 Contract Area under the Cape Three Points (CTP) Block 4 Petroleum Agreement,” the statement added.
According to the Minority, the erstwhile President Akufo-Addo subsequently gave approval to Eni in a letter dated July 28, 2022 to undertake a joint but single appraisal programme in respect of the Eban-Akoma Discoveries; which discoveries are now known as the Eban-Akoma Complex.
The Minority, therefore described the announcement of Eban-Akoma discoveries by the Energy Ministry as “dishonest, disingenuous and a palsy of truth”.
The Minority questioned how the “Mahama administration that had nothing to do with the drilling of the Akoma and Eban Exploration Wells; as well as approval of the Appraisal Programme of the two Discoveries, will all of a sudden claim that the results of an Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration approved Appraisal Programme that has resulted in declaration of commerciality are a credit to it.”
Read full statement from Minority below.
