A fierce political tussle has erupted in Parliament over who deserves credit for Ghana’s latest upstream petroleum success—specifically, the commercial declaration of the Eban-Akoma discoveries in the offshore Cape Three Points Block 2.
At a press conference held at Parliament House on Monday, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Minority Caucus took sharp aim at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition for what it described as a “dishonest and disingenuous” attempt to attribute the milestone to the previous Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.
Mr. Collins Adomako-Mensah, Member of Parliament for Afigya-Kwabre North and a leading member of the Energy Committee, did not mince words as he challenged the historical account being advanced by the current government.
“Let the records reflect that the Eban-Akoma discoveries were not the handiwork of the Mahama administration. The Eban discovery was made in 2019 and the Akoma discovery in 2021—both under President Akufo-Addo’s leadership,” he declared.
According to Adomako-Mensah, the discoveries were further validated by an appraisal programme, which received official approval from the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government in 2022. The recent declaration of commerciality, he argued, is the direct result of that appraisal process and cannot be tied to any exploration activity or policy initiative from the NDC era.
The NPP caucus expressed concern over what they see as an emerging pattern of retroactive credit-seeking by the Mahama administration ahead of the 2024 general elections. They warned that such political posturing could erode public confidence in Ghana’s petroleum governance framework and undermine the credibility of national institutions.
“It’s important that we maintain integrity and accuracy in national reporting, especially when it involves strategic natural resources,” Adomako-Mensah cautioned.
He further cited the NPP’s record in managing Ghana’s hydrocarbon resources, highlighting reforms dating back to the Kufuor-Aliu Mahama era and extended through the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration, which has overseen significant oil and gas discoveries and fiscal restructuring.
The political dispute underscores growing tensions between the NPP and NDC over control of the energy narrative—particularly as Ghana grapples with the global energy transition while continuing to rely heavily on petroleum revenues for economic stability.
With elections looming and oil playing a pivotal role in Ghana’s development trajectory, the Eban-Akoma saga may mark the beginning of intensified political wrangling over natural resource governance and legacy claims.
