<<Print>>

A Research Officer at the Centre for Democratic Governance (CDD) Ghana, Mr Mohammed Awal, has called on the government to create a registry and publish all oil and gas licences and contracts awarded in the country.

This, he noted, would help improve transparency, accountability and efficient management of the country’s oil and gas resources for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

Mr Awal, who made the call during a day’s workshop on “Post-Election Accountability monitoring Matrix on Election 2016 Oil and Gas Campaign promises” held for Stakeholders in the Western Region, also called for a competitive and open bidding for oil and gas licences and contracts.

The Workshop organized by CDD in partnership with Friends of the Nation (FON) was supported by Ghana Oil and Gas for Inclusive Growth (GOGIG), UKaid and OXFAM.

It was to among others discuss the draft post-election accountability matrix for monitoring the fulfilment of the 2016 campaign promises by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Oil and Gas and fisheries sector.

It was also to sensitize stakeholders on the need to engage political party leaders, Members of Parliament and assembly-members on the government’s campaign promises on oil and gas, in a bid to assess the performance of the government in the next four years.

Mr Awal said it was also important for the government to develop and pass a robust legislation to clearly define the exercise of any residual discretionary power in the oil and gas legal framework as well as integrate into national and sector policy the principle of the African mining vision.

He said instituting public inquiry and investigation to review evidence into any alleged corrupt practices in the oil and gas sector was also paramount and that supporting an informed public dialogue about oil and gas wealth could contribute to national development and stability.

He said to avoid a repeat of the current menace in the gold mining sector, it was imperative for the government to publish requirements for companies bidding for concessions or licences to fully and publicly disclose their beneficial ownership structure, with strong penalties for non-compliance.

On the fiscal and revenue management regime, Mr Awal suggested that the government should develop a fiscal responsibility and public financial management bill and pass it into law and also to develop and enforce a public investment plan and public guide on value for money audit of publicly funded projects.

Touching on the priority areas for spending and investing revenue from oil and gas, he stressed the need for funding commitment to the completion of the Accra –Paga rail line connection and the western and eastern rail line.
On local participation, Mr Awal called for the publication of the details of the ‘accelerated oil capacity development programme’ policy framework and also to provide incentives that would favour foreign investors to build links with domestic suppliers, to undertake local processing and support skills development.

Mr Solomon Kusi Ampofo, Project Officer of Friend of the Nation (FON), who spoke on the fisheries sector, expressed concern about Ghana losing its fishing resources to the emergence of the oil and gas industry, and called on the government to ensure that all laws and regulations on the fisheries sector were duly implemented.

He also suggested that all stakeholders especially fisher folks be involved in the negotiations and signing of concessional contracts by oil companies. This, he noted would help reduce the unnecessary conflicts between oil companies and fishermen.

Mr Ampofo further called on the government to ensure that all the budgetary allocations to the fisheries sector were implemented to enhance the development and growth of the sector.

Some of the participants the GNA spoke to expressed concern about the current situation where the government and oil companies did not involve fisher folks in the negotiation and signing of contracts, and stressed that as a matter of urgency the situation should be addressed since they have a stake in the oil and gas industry.