The Minority Caucus in Parliament, aligned with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has strongly criticized the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition for what it describes as a misleading and politically motivated attempt to claim credit for recent oil discoveries made by Eni Ghana in the Eban-Akoma block.
In a detailed statement issued Monday, the NPP Minority disputed a July 4 release from the Ministry of Energy, which celebrated the “Declaration of Commerciality” for the Eban-Akoma discoveries as a major milestone in Ghana’s petroleum sector and as a testament to the Mahama administration’s commitment to energy development.
According to Alex Adomako Mensah, both the Akoma and Eban wells were drilled during the tenure of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration, with the Akoma discovery announced by Eni in May 2019 and the Eban discovery in July 2021. They argue that these discoveries, along with their subsequent joint appraisal approved in 2022, were all part of a broader reserve replacement strategy executed under the previous NPP government.
“It is therefore dishonest, disingenuous and a palsy of truth for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to project or suggest that the Mahama administration can take credit for these discoveries,” the statement read.
The Minority provided a timeline and documentation to back their claims, including references to public press releases by Eni and official approval letters from the former Energy Ministry. They emphasized that the decision to allow a joint appraisal of the Akoma and Eban wells was a strategic move by the NPP government to fast-track development and reduce costs.
“The Mahama administration, for self-serving purposes, has sought to covet this normal reporting process into a fanfare, despite being in office for barely seven months,” the statement added, criticizing what they described as an attempt to appropriate achievements not made under their administration.
The Minority also listed a series of oil discoveries made between 2018 and 2022 under the NPP administration, including Pecan South East, Nyankom-1X, Afina-1X, and Aprokuma-1X, which they say collectively contributed significantly to Ghana’s hydrocarbon portfolio.
The statement concluded by urging the Mahama-led government to acknowledge the complexities and timelines involved in petroleum exploration and refrain from taking undue credit for projects that predate its return to power.
As of press time, the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition had not responded to the Minority’s claims.
