Energy Minister talks up importance of untapped hydrocarbons

The Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, has averred that the much-talked about energy transition will be meaningless if the country’s efforts fail to take cognisance of the huge untapped oil and gas resources.

While admitting that the energy transition is inevitable, he said Ghana’s natural resource endowments – hydrocarbons – offer great opportunities for achieving high levels of growth, development and prosperity for all, if properly managed.

“For our transition to be meaningful, our untapped and existing natural resources – particularly those that emit high carbons – must not be written-off,” he added, advocating a just energy transition process that respects developing countries’ right to use their unexploited resources to achieve development.

According to him, the country’s transition from high-carbon emitting fuels to zero emitting ones is the surest way to address its issues of climate change with its dire implications for human life.

While emphasising the need to find a balance between exploitation of oil and gas resources and the transition agenda, Dr. Opoku indicated that the country is implementing a policy to encourage the adoption of natural gas as a transition fuel.

The minister made these observations in a solidarity message delivered on his behalf at the 10th Oil and Gas (GOGA) awards held in Accra. It was organised by Xodus Communications Limited.

He took the opportunity to acknowledge industry players’ contributions toward the sector’s growth and vibrancy, emphasising the critical need for collaboration to sustain progress made over the years.

“Let us take this gathering as an opportunity to forge stronger ties and alliances to advance our collective objectives,” he added.

Awards

The GOGAs aim to celebrate and recognise outstanding achievements made within the oil and gas industry’s upstream and downstream sectors. They also serve as a platform to demonstrate advances made in the key areas of environmental stewardship, efficiency, innovation, corporate social responsibility, health and safety.

They also recognise achievements by local and international companies involved in the Ghana oil and gas sector, and reward those that have played a defining role in moving the industry forward.

Among the winners, Dr. Opoku was adjudged Outstanding Achiever of the Year- Energy Policy Initiative under the special recognition category.