Ahead of commencing preliminary seismic work in the basin, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has begun its national stakeholder engagement.
The event which took place in Accra saw GNPC’s Voltaian Basin Project (VBP) Team, led by Mr. Ebenezer Apesegah, Manager- Geology briefing participants on the scope of the project, processes involved and potential impact as well as mitigation options available to address them.
Acting Chief Executive of GNPC, Mr Alex Mould said the present mission of the Corporation is to identify the existence of a petroleum system in the area. He said the Voltaian Basin Project has the potential of defining GNPC as Operator in the future.
“We cannot do this alone,” Mr. Mould stressed to the participants, emphasizing the importance of their role in the project. He said GNPC will engage also stakeholders in the forefront districts on the project, from June, ahead of the preliminary seismic work in the basin.
He was hopeful that the participants, drawn from some ministries and state organisations, were going to contribute and assist GNPC identify all issues worth considering in undertaking the all-important national project.
In his contributory remarks, the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr. Ayariga called for collaboration and co-operation among all stakeholders and assured of the Ministry’s support.
Mr Daniel Amlalo, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advised prospective applicants for permits to submit their work on time so they get their results in good time.
The Director of the Geological Survey Department (GSD), Mr. John Agyei Duodu, commending GNPC for the forum, called on stakeholders to see the project as a national one for collective support.
Other ministries represented at the programme were: the Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Roads and Highways, and Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Health.
There were over 50 participants, including delegates from: Ghana Forestry Commission, Geological Survey Department, Petroleum Commission, Department of Feeder Roads, Ghana Highway Authority, Department of Urban Roads, Ghana Health Service, National Communications Authority (NCA), Ghana Police Service, Ghana Army, and Ghana Wildlife Society.
The rest were: National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST), and Ghana Grid Company Ltd (Gridco), Ghana Health Service, Water Resources Commission, Ghana Police Service, Land Valuation Division of the Lands Commission, Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana National Fire Service, and National Security.
Participants broke into seven session groups, namely: Security, Compensation and Information Dissemination, Regulation and Permitting, Health and Emergency Response, Transportation, the Ecosystem, and Transmission Lines. The various groups dialogued to identify potential issues of concern in the subject areas and recommended measures to prevent them from occurring or address them when they occurred.
Director of Operations of GNPC, Mr. Thomas Manu expressed appreciation to the participants for taking time off their busy schedules to be at the programme and assured of continued consultation and collaboration with them.
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