Oil and Gas Information Centre Launched

Government has launched an Independent Oil and Gas Information Resource Centre (IOGIRC), to operate as an interactive space for information on the Oil and Gas Sector in the country.

The Centre will provide comprehensive information on the oil and gas sector especially within Ghana to ensure transparency in the operations of all stakeholders and players.

At the launch yesterday in Accra, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, said the establishment of the resource center is a reflection of government’s commitment to support relevant research for the public discourse and policies, laws and regulations.

According to him, the center will keep all stakeholders abreast with technical, strategic and commercial issues that affect the industry.

“Building on the experiences of other oil producing countries, the center will provide relevant information on the operation of the oil and gas sector to all parties, and I believe it will also raise the bar of public scrutiny of the decisions we make as public official regarding exploitation in use of our oil and gas resources”, he stressed.

Increasing Upstream Activity

He mentioned that the launching of the IOGIRC is happening at a time when government is desirous of increasing upstream activity in partnership with national and international oil and gas companies through data through data acquisition and acceleration of exploration.

“With increase in upstream activities, the number of petroleum activity, local and international service providers, and the people who will be involved means that the information needs of the public is equally going to increase. This underscores the importance of the center as it will feel in the information gap which in some countries has threatened the survival of oil industries.”

He further charged the management of the resource center to collaborate with Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana AITI to extend the services to frontline oil communities.

Steering Committee

A seven member Steering Committee was inaugurated to steer the affairs of the resource center.

The members were selected from seven various institutions in the country.

They include Mr. George Sarpong (Cosmos Energy), Mr. Kusi Boateng (Tullow Oil), Mr Allure (ENI Ghana), Mr. Richard Addo Darko and Micheal (GNPC), Mr. Vincent Yankee (Petroleum Commission), and Mr. Prosper Nartey Agyemang.

By: Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum/ thePublisher