IMANI, ACEP call on gov’t to investigate GNPC

The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and IMANI Ghana are asking the government to investigate possible corruption at Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) in connection with the PetroSA's purchase of Sabre and Gas Holding Ltd oil’s interest in the Jubilee Field.

The South African oil company, PetroSA, is currently under investigations in South Africa after one of its senior officials was accused of bribery in the purchase of Sabre’s stake in the Jubilee field.

ACEP in a statement released the morning of Wednesday May 1st, said it is worried that Ghana’s impressive start of oil and gas production is being tainted by the PetroSA-Sabre deal.

The GNPC Tuesday April 30th issued a statement denying any wrongdoing over the said transaction after some interest groups called for investigations to be instituted by the government.

Speaking to Joy News Wednesday, Benjamin Boakye, Programmes Coordinator for ACEP, strongly believes even though GNPC has come out to deny the allegations, it is still important for the government to take the responsibility to look into the matter.

According to him, PetroSA has admitted to some wrong doing in the deal itself. So it will be appropriate for the government to save itself from the corrupt tag being put on the country.

Mr Boakye asserted that when Cosmos wanted to sell its stake in the Jubilee Fields to Exxon Mobil, government demonstrated capacity to acquire that stake and so wondered why there was no attempt by the government to purchase the Sabre stake.

ACEP said it found the government’s lack of commitment to purchase the Sabre stake out of place, considering its desire to increase the stake and role of GNPC in the Jubilee Fields.

ACEP has stressed that the investigations into the deal by an independent body would be appropriate since the corruption allegations affect Ghana's image internationally.

Franklin Cudjoe of IMANI think tank in a statement last week also said President Mahama must help to "demystify the opaquely managed Ghana National Petroleum Corporation once and for all"

The statement also said GNPC, acting as a market participant and regulator at the same time the PetroSA and Sabre Gas deal was going is worrying.