Petroleum Commission Chief Executive Officer Emefa Hardcastle says Ghana must move beyond treating local content as a compliance requirement and use it to build a globally competitive petroleum industry.
Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Local Content Conference and Exhibition in Takoradi on November 10, Hardcastle said strategic reform and stronger partnerships would be central to the sector’s future.
The conference, held under the theme “Enriching local content for sustainable growth: Building a resilient upstream sector through reform and partnership to spur competitiveness and investment,” brought together industry stakeholders, government officials and international partners.
Hardcastle used the event to reflect on the Petroleum Commission’s 15-year history and the progress made since the Petroleum Commission Act was passed.
She told delegates the Act had been signed into law on her birthday by then-President John Evans Atta Mills, who later appointed her to the Commission’s board. She also credited President John Dramani Mahama with reappointing her to the board before naming her chief executive.
“Since its establishment, the Commission has worked diligently to regulate and manage petroleum activities, build national capacity, and create an environment that supports resource development,” she said.
Reform and partnership
Hardcastle identified reform and partnership, which she referred to as “R&P”, as the two foundations required to attract investment. Local content, she said, should be viewed as a broad development strategy rather than simply a regulatory obligation.
“R&P activities create local content opportunities, while effective local content policies strengthen the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of R&P operations,” she said.
“We must move beyond participation and towards competitiveness. To sustain investment, we must continue to strengthen indigenous capacity and deepen collaboration between industry and academia.”
She said Ghanaian companies had made considerable progress over the past 13 years, with local businesses now exporting their expertise to Cote d’Ivoire, Sao Tome, Angola and Namibia.
Hardcastle also pointed to the development of facilities producing specialised chemicals and drilling fluids, as well as cementing plants and pipe-threading and coating facilities. She said these investments demonstrated the range of capabilities now available within Ghana.
A catalogue detailing the country’s in-country capabilities and capacities has been released and is available at the registration desk. Hardcastle also cited an approximately 90% localisation ratio for rotational workers.
Two further initiatives are expected to feature prominently at the conference. Later on November 10, the President and the Minister of Energy and Green Transition are due to launch the Local Content Fund.
“This fund is a financial springboard to indigenous Ghanaian SMEs engaged in the sector,” Hardcastle said, adding that it was the result of years of work with contractors and subcontractors.
She also introduced the Commission’s Digital Permits Application and Management System, which is intended to replace a manual process and reduce administrative delays.
“This initiative is not merely about technology; it’s about improving the investor experience and creating a more predictable business environment,” she said.
Hardcastle urged the government to allocate funding from the Petroleum Funds to the Commission, saying a properly resourced regulator was essential to managing the changing global energy industry.
“Sustainable funding allocation… will support our strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing regulatory effectiveness, accelerating digital transformation, and improving petroleum data management,” she said.
She called on delegates to consider how local content could support industrial expansion and sustainable economic transformation.
