As Ghana marks a critical milestone in its petroleum journey with the recent declaration of commerciality for the Eban and Akoma oil and gas fields, political tensions have emerged over who deserves credit for the achievement.
Located in the Cape Three Points area of the Western Region, the two discoveries have the potential to significantly boost Ghana’s upstream oil and gas sector. But rather than unite around the promise of energy development, the progress has become a flashpoint for political rivalry.
Collins Adomako, Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Energy Committee, has strongly pushed back against suggestions that the current administration should receive credit. He maintains that both discoveries—the Akoma field in 2019 and the Eban field in 2021—were made under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
According to Mr. Adomako, not only were the discoveries made during the New Patriotic Party’s tenure, but the subsequent appraisal programme was also initiated and approved in July 2022 under the same administration. The assessment of their commercial potential, he noted, was communicated to key government ministries before the recent change in leadership.
“These developments are the result of careful planning, exploration, and strategic decisions taken by the Akufo-Addo government,” Mr. Adomako stated. “To now attribute them elsewhere is misleading and does a disservice to the historical record.”
The declaration of commerciality signifies that the fields are now deemed viable for full development and future production—an important step in boosting national energy security and revenue. Yet, instead of celebrating the potential economic benefits, political actors have found themselves locked in a debate over attribution.
Analysts warn that politicizing oil sector progress could undermine public trust and detract from collaborative governance needed to manage the sector’s growth. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Energy has not yet issued a formal statement in response to the competing claims.
As the country awaits clarity and leadership on the next steps for development, the hope among industry stakeholders is that national interest will take precedence over partisan point-scoring—ensuring the full value of Ghana’s natural resources is harnessed for the benefit of all.
