Ghana will continue to exploit oil and gas resources

Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has reiterated Ghana’s resolve to fully exploit its oil and gas resources for the benefit of its people even as it implements strategies to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Dr Opoku Prempeh pointed out that oil and gas exploration and production will continue in the country in the next few decades so as to make natural gas available for use by the population.

He stressed that the Government has put interventions to reduce the impact of hydrocarbons on the environment through the Energy Transition Framework.

Dr Opoku Prempeh made this known at the Ministerial Session of World Petroleum Congress (WPC) in Calgary Canada Monday, September 19,2023.

“We continue to pitch a strong narrative of Ghana and for that matter Africa being allowed to use every energy resource at its disposal for the benefit of its people.

For this reason, I did not mince words at a Ministerial session on Monday at the opening of the 24th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) in Calgary, Canada, reiterating Ghana’s firm stance on fully exploiting its hydrocarbon resource for the shared economic prosperity of its citizens in the wake of the energy transition.

I made the point that oil and gas exploration and production will continue in the next few decades to ensure the availability of natural gas, which for us, is the transition fuel. Cognizant of the impacts of hydrocarbons on the environment, I indicated that we have already included Carbon Capture and Storage and other green interventions in our Energy Transition Framework to duly take care of emissions,” Dr Opoku Prempeh stated after the session.

The Minister also used the opportunity to woe investors to consider Oil and gas exploration in Ghana’s basins. This, he explained, could be used to develop Ghana’s clean energy resources and green infrastructure.

“I further used the opportunity to market Ghana’s sedimentary basins which have huge oil and gas prospects and can be leveraged to develop the clean energy resources and green infrastructure we require,” he added.

Dr Opoku Prempeh has been steadfast in making the point that despite the need to reduce greenhouse emissions, Ghana ought to be allowed to use its energy resources at its disposal – oil and gas – for the benefit of the people of the country.