Deputy Energy Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam has disclosed his outfit’s intentions to deepen transparency and access to information within the oil and gas industry by making public, a register detailing all activities.
Dr Mohammed Amin Adam noted that this will demonstrate government’s commitment to widening the boundaries of accountability and public disclosure of information.
The register, according to the deputy Energy Minister will be launched in the second week of January 2018.
The Deputy Minister was speaking at the launch of an independent Oil and Gas information centre located within the oil and gas enclave in Dzorwulu called the Independent Oil and Gas Information Resource Centre (IOGIRC).
He was of the view that the move by government to launch the public register will complement the role the resource centre will play in the sector.
He remarked, “To give true meaning to the objectives of the resource centre, government will soon demonstrate its commitment to broadening the boundaries of transparency and disclosure of information by launching a public register of petroleum arguments, permits and authorisations. I believe we will be launching the public register hopefully in the second week of January.”
“The register will contain full text petroleum agreement, permits, authorisations, names of companies that bid for oil blocks and the winners of these blocs. These are the kinds of information the public is interested in because these are the information that will allow the public to effectively scrutinise the government and the authorities involved in the allocation of petroleum rights,” he disclosed.
Launch of Independent Oil and Gas Information Resource Centre
The IOGIRC was launched at the Alisa Hotel on Tuesday, 19 December 2017.
It is an institution set up by the World Bank funded Oil and Gas Capacity Building Project (OGCBP) to operate as an interactive space for comprehensive information on the Oil and Gas sector and to ensure transparency in the operations of all stakeholders
A steering committee to superintend the running of the IOGIRC was introduced and charged to ensure the efficient and effective running of the centre.
The members include representatives from Tullow Ghana, Cosmos Energy, ENI Ghana, GNPC, Petroleum Commission and EPA.
