SECOND OIL AND GAS FORUM IN UPPER EAST
SECOND OIL AND GAS FORUM IN UPPER EAST April 29, 2010
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
A public forum to consider suggestions and views of citizens in the Upper East region concerning the management and usage of Ghana ’s oil and gas resources has taken place at Bolgatanga, the regional capital. The forum which was attended by district assembly representatives, opinion leaders, heads of department and the general public is the second to be held in the region since the discovery of oil and related oil resources in the country in 2007.
Upper East regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo who chaired the function said these consultative fora between citizens and government indicates the latter’s commitment to good governance and providing opportunities for the full participation of the average citizen in the management of public resources including the oil find.
The regional minister noted that since the oil discovery, there have been high expectations and excitement by citizens throughout the country thus it is timely and important that government is dialoguing with citizens to develop a policy to guide management and utilization of the oil resource to the benefit of all Ghanaians.
Mr. Woyongo acknowledged that not every citizen may have the opportunity of participating in the discussions and therefore urged participants in the forum to spread share information they will be gaining with others.
In a speech read for him, the Deputy Energy minister Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, recounted that as far back as the nineteenth century, Ghana showed promising signs of producing oil. Subsequently since the 1960’s, oil exploration activities began with different governments showing varying degrees of commitment.
Hon. Buah said it was not until in 2007 when Ghana was 50 years that the first oil was struck in commercial quantities. The Jubilee Field which was about the first to be discovered is estimated to hold about 1.2 billion barrels with an upside potential of three billion barrels of oil and vast amounts of associated gas.
According to the Deputy Energy minister, the country is on course to pump the first oil from the Jubilee Field in the last quarter of 2010 which should be producing 120,000 barrels of oil per day. Phase two will commence in 2013 with 240,000 barrels of oil per day and 240,000 units [mmscfd] of gas.
He disclosed that government has begun the construction of pipelines to convey gas to the proposed gas processing plant at Bonyere in the Western region for the production of such products as ethanol, propane and fertilizer. Also, gas will be piped to an existing plant at Aboadze to generate electricity for the country.
Hon. Buah hinted that government intends to use the oil revenues for economic diversification to benefit all Ghanaians and minimize potential socioeconomic dislocations associated with oil wealth while at the same time safeguarding security and the environment.
He gave the assurance that government plans to ensure residents of oil producing areas as well as companies carrying out exploratory and productive activities.
In separate presentations by the team members from Accra lead by Madam Efua Emissah, it became clear that government will give first consideration to Ghanaian independent operators in the award of oil contracts and oil field licenses. It also came to light that government will provide an enabling environment and opportunities for Ghanaians to benefit from the oil wealth such as securing a quota in management for Locals.
During an open forum, participants asked for strict legislations to ensure that no oil firm takes the country for a ride and gets off the hook while others called for education to dispel the wrong notion that the oil wealth will solve the multitude of economic, social and other developmental problems in the country.
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
A public forum to consider suggestions and views of citizens in the Upper East region concerning the management and usage of Ghana ’s oil and gas resources has taken place at Bolgatanga, the regional capital. The forum which was attended by district assembly representatives, opinion leaders, heads of department and the general public is the second to be held in the region since the discovery of oil and related oil resources in the country in 2007.
Upper East regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo who chaired the function said these consultative fora between citizens and government indicates the latter’s commitment to good governance and providing opportunities for the full participation of the average citizen in the management of public resources including the oil find.
The regional minister noted that since the oil discovery, there have been high expectations and excitement by citizens throughout the country thus it is timely and important that government is dialoguing with citizens to develop a policy to guide management and utilization of the oil resource to the benefit of all Ghanaians.
Mr. Woyongo acknowledged that not every citizen may have the opportunity of participating in the discussions and therefore urged participants in the forum to spread share information they will be gaining with others.
In a speech read for him, the Deputy Energy minister Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, recounted that as far back as the nineteenth century, Ghana showed promising signs of producing oil. Subsequently since the 1960’s, oil exploration activities began with different governments showing varying degrees of commitment.
Hon. Buah said it was not until in 2007 when Ghana was 50 years that the first oil was struck in commercial quantities. The Jubilee Field which was about the first to be discovered is estimated to hold about 1.2 billion barrels with an upside potential of three billion barrels of oil and vast amounts of associated gas.
According to the Deputy Energy minister, the country is on course to pump the first oil from the Jubilee Field in the last quarter of 2010 which should be producing 120,000 barrels of oil per day. Phase two will commence in 2013 with 240,000 barrels of oil per day and 240,000 units [mmscfd] of gas.
He disclosed that government has begun the construction of pipelines to convey gas to the proposed gas processing plant at Bonyere in the Western region for the production of such products as ethanol, propane and fertilizer. Also, gas will be piped to an existing plant at Aboadze to generate electricity for the country.
Hon. Buah hinted that government intends to use the oil revenues for economic diversification to benefit all Ghanaians and minimize potential socioeconomic dislocations associated with oil wealth while at the same time safeguarding security and the environment.
He gave the assurance that government plans to ensure residents of oil producing areas as well as companies carrying out exploratory and productive activities.
In separate presentations by the team members from Accra lead by Madam Efua Emissah, it became clear that government will give first consideration to Ghanaian independent operators in the award of oil contracts and oil field licenses. It also came to light that government will provide an enabling environment and opportunities for Ghanaians to benefit from the oil wealth such as securing a quota in management for Locals.
During an open forum, participants asked for strict legislations to ensure that no oil firm takes the country for a ride and gets off the hook while others called for education to dispel the wrong notion that the oil wealth will solve the multitude of economic, social and other developmental problems in the country.
Comments