The Minority caucus in Parliament has demanded that the government swiftly transfer the shares held by Jubilee Holdings Limited (JOHL) to the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC).
The Members of Parliament from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) argue that this move is necessary to demonstrate effective oversight of state assets.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, May 30, and endorsed by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader, the caucus emphasized that the transfer of shares would showcase the government’s commitment to monitoring the revenue generated from Ghana’s petroleum resources.
They expressed their refusal to tolerate any further delays in the transfer process.
“The Minority calls on the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government to promptly transfer the shares held by JOHL to GNPC to ensure that Parliament and other stakeholders exercise appropriate oversight on these assets,” stated the Minority’s statement. “This action will promote transparency, accountability, and effective monitoring of the revenues derived from our petroleum resources.”
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has recently faced scrutiny due to questionable activities.
The Chairman of its Board, Freddie Blay, attempted to offer PetroSA an equal split in the interest held by GNPC’s subsidiary, Jubilee Oil Holdings Ltd.
However, this proposal was halted following the intervention of Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who wrote to President Akufo-Addo seeking his involvement.
In addition to the Energy Minister’s intervention, 29 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have called for the removal of both Freddie Blay and GNPC’s CEO, Opoku Awhenie Danquah.
These CSOs, including the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), and the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana (COPEC), argue that the actions of the two individuals pose a threat to Ghana’s interests in the petroleum sector.
In a joint statement endorsed by representatives from all 29 CSOs and reported by JoyNews, the coalition emphasized that a country under the micromanagement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should not engage in fiscal recklessness.
They also demanded full disclosure of information regarding the AFC transaction, clarification on the petroleum cost, and the immediate closure of the Aker Plan of Development (PoD) from the Petroleum Commission and the government.
However, in an interview with JoyNews, Freddie Blay stated that he had ceased his involvement in the deal following the directive of Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh. “As I speak to you now, I have discontinued my participation in accordance with the instructions of my supervising minister,” he clarified during the interview on Saturday, May 26.
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