he Minister of Energy, Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei, has virtually abrogated a Petroleum Agreement (PA) amongst the Government of Ghana (GoG), Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), AKER ASA and Chemu Power Company Limited in respect of the South Deep Water Tano Contract Area. The minister’s action was contained in a letter dated December 30, 2009 which was addressed to the President of AKER ASA Group.
The Petroleum Agreement (PA) under reference was unanimously ratified by Ghana’s Parliament at its 20th sitting on November 5, 2008 after it (PA) had had the appropriate approvals of the Ministry of Energy, Cabinet and the GNPC Management and Board as required by the laws of the land. The text of the resolution was, subsequently, formally forwarded to the Attorney General for appropriate action by the Clerk of Parliament in an official correspondence dated November 13, 2008.
Records available to The New Crusading GUIDE indicate that since the ratification of the Petroleum Agreement (PA), AKER ASA, which is a Norwegian company and a big player in the global oil industry, and its Ghanaian subsidiary, AKER GHANA LTD, have been engaged in the most extensive 3D seismic data acquisition programme ever to be undertaken in the history of oil exploration in Ghana. Millions of dollars have been spent on that endeavour. The companies have also duly discharged all their tax obligations to the State of Ghana.
However, upon the assumption of office by the Mills administration, some leading government and party officials, including Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei, began to raise ‘red flags’ about the processes leading to the consummation of the petroleum agreement, especially the connection between AKER ASA and its local (Ghanaian) partner, CHEMU POWER COMPANY LIMITED. DR. OTENG-ADJEI AND HIS COLLEAGUES ALSO CONTENDED THAT THERE WERE SOME ‘LEGAL DEFECTS’ WITH THE PA BECAUSE SECTION 23(15) OF THE PETROLEUM (EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION) LAW 1984 (PNDC L84) CLEARLY REQUIRED THAT A GHANAIAN REGISTERED COMPANY OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN THE SIGNATORY TO THE PA, AND NOT AKER ASA.
Source: GhanaWeb
