Ghana's Oil Producing Profile Under Prez Akufo-Addo Is 'Unassailable' - Energy Ministry Replies Mahama
The Ministry of Energy has responded to claims by former president, John Dramani Mahama, that the Akufo-Addo-led government has done little to nothing to increasing Ghana's oil production in the upstream sector over the last seven years.
In a tweet posted on February 6, 2023, John Mahama described the Akufo-Addo government's development in the oil sector as 'wasted years' despite his (Mahama) administration handing over two new oil fields [TEN and Sankofa] to the current government in 2017.
“Wasted years! We bequeathed to the Akufo-Addo government two new oil fields, TEN and Sankofa. Greed and ineptitude as against national interest means a sad reality of no additional production activity in our upstream oil sector in the last 7 years,” Mr. John Mahama wrote.
But a statement issued by the Ministry of Energy says "for the record, under the Akufo-Addo presidency, Ghana has seen an unprecedented oil wells drilling success rate from all exploration wells drilled from 2017 to date. Out of the seven (7) exploration wells drilled during the period, six (6) of them were successful resulting in 7 discoveries".
The Ministry refuted Mahama's claims stressing that "former President Mahama should take note that the restrictions on the movements of persons and other associated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a two-year freeze on oil exploration for new discoveries and appraisal of existing discoveries in Ghana".
"It is important to point out to John Mahama and his followers that, on average, it takes a minimum of five years from discovery to first oil for a deep-water oilfield to be developed to production status. Thus, the so-called waste of time alleged by John Mahama is premised on a poor or no understanding at all of the upstream oil industry by John Mahama", it added.
The Energy Ministry asked the public to disregard Mr. Mahama's claims saying "on the back of the available evidence, the Ministry wishes to state unequivocally, that the former President's assertion cannot be supported by the available facts and therefore must be treated with the utmost contempt it deserves".
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