Recent Oil Discoveries Happened Under Akufo-Addo, Not Mahama

The Minority in Parliament has pushed back against the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing it of taking undue credit for oil discoveries that occurred during the tenure of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Speaking at a press conference, Collins Adomako-Mensah, MP for Afigya Kwabre North and Ranking Member on the Energy Committee, stated that the Akoma and Eban-1X oil finds were made in 2019 and 2021 respectively—both under the Akufo-Addo administration.

He pointed out that ENI Ghana, the operator of Cape Three Points Block 4, officially informed the Ministry of Energy, the Petroleum Commission, and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) of these discoveries, in line with its contractual obligations under the petroleum agreement.

“ENI issued two official notices of discovery to the relevant state institutions, as stipulated in the CTP Block 4 agreement. These discoveries were even reported by sections of the Ghanaian media at the time,” he explained.

Adomako-Mensah expressed disappointment over what he described as an attempt by the current government to take political credit for discoveries it played no part in.

“It’s baffling how the Mahama-led government—which wasn’t involved in the drilling or appraisal approvals of the Akoma and Eban wells—now wants to claim ownership of results achieved through an appraisal programme approved under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia leadership.”

He emphasized that under Ghana’s oil and gas framework, it is the contractor—not the government—that is responsible for reporting the outcomes of exploration and appraisal efforts.

“In our upstream petroleum sector, it’s the operator’s duty to inform the state about the results of any approved appraisal programme, which is precisely what ENI has done,” he said.

He further criticized the Mahama administration for what he called a politically motivated move.

“For purely political reasons, the current government is trying to turn a routine industry report into a spectacle, claiming success for something it didn’t initiate—despite being in office for barely seven months,” he concluded