Government committed to making Ghana a petroleum hub – Energy Minister

Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, has reiterated government’s vision of transforming Ghana into a boisterous petroleum hub on the African continent.

According to Boakye Agyarko, the numerous projects that have been implemented since the New Patriotic Party (NPP) assumed office in 2017 authenticate his claims.

Speaking at the 2018 Ghana International Petroleum Conference (GhipCon), the Energy Minister added that the increasing interest of foreign investors in Ghana is a clear evidence of government’s slow but positive progress.

“Government is very committed to realizing this vision of making Ghana a petroleum hub. His Excellency, the President indicated in his swearing-in speech ‘we are in a hurry’. The numerous policies, projects and programmes launched in the past 19 months since this government assumed office is evident and the ever-growing investor confidence in Ghana shows that we are making progress,” Mr Agyarko intimated.

Expressing high hopes that the 2018 GhipCon will yield positive results, Boakye Agyarko charged panellists at the conference to propose strategies and proposals that will aid the Energy Ministry in making the vision of transforming Ghana into a petroleum hub a reality.

“We have been tasked with realizing this vision over a ten year period. It is my hope that this conference will discuss the various proposals and strategies that will guide our government in shaping the structure and deployment of our infrastructure master plan for the realization of the vision of a sub-regional petroleum hub. My ministry looks forward to the recommendations of this conference and I assure you, that all such relevant recommendations will be seriously considered,” he concluded.

The concept of a petroleum hub is one of the strategic initiatives of the Akufo-Addo government, with the purpose of serving as a new pillar of growth in the Ghanaian economy.

The project, which is proposed to be sited within the Jomoro District of the Western region, will accelerate the growth of Ghana’s petroleum downstream sub-sector.