Springfield Energy, has filed a libel lawsuit against The Herald for its coverage of the company’s activities related to its claim of commercial oil discoveries in Ghana.
The company is seeking, among other things, to prevent the newspaper from publishing any further articles about Springfield or its CEO, Kevin Okyere.
The lawsuit, filed in December 2024, accuses The Herald of publishing false information that has damaged the company’s reputation.
However, despite the legal action, the case has sparked deeper conversations around the national interest and the state of Ghana’s oil industry under the leadership of the Akufo-Addo administration.
The legal processes pursued by Springfield have not been straightforward. Springfield’s lawyers claim that The Herald and its editor could not be found, despite the newspaper being a registered business with active staff and location.
As a result, the company returned to court to request substituted service, which allowed the lawsuit to be published in the Ghanaian Times newspaper and also sent through the social media platform, WhatsApp a move that highlights the unusual nature of the processes. Interestingly, its previous lawsuits were served in The Herald’s office.
Indeed, this is not the first time Springfield has gone to court against The Herald; it marks the third legal case between the two in what seems to be a protracted battle for control of the narrative surrounding the oil industry’s troubled state. At the heart of this legal war is a deepening concern for Ghana’s national interest in the oil sector, a concern that has been amplified by Springfield’s actions in the wake of its claimed discovery of oil reserves.
Before going to court, Springfield had expressed the belief that The Herald was engaged in a personal vendetta against the company. However, The Herald has made it clear that its focus has always been and will continue to be the national interest.
The newspaper maintains that Springfield’s actions, especially its support from certain political figures, have continued to harm Ghana’s oil sector, which has suffered under the governance of the immediate past Akufo-Addo administration.
One of the primary concerns raised by The Herald is the questionable handling of Springfield’s oil discovery, particularly regarding the lack of proper assessment for the unitization of the field. While Springfield claims that its oil discovery is significant, The Herald believes that the failure to properly assess the field has led to significant losses for Ghana—both in terms of revenue and potential job creation. The Herald is critical of the company’s decision to pursue arbitration at a time when the discovery had not been properly appraised, a process that has led to a drain on Ghana’s resources without clear economic benefit.
The Herald has also expressed concerns about Springfield’s lack of transparency in its operations. In particular, the newspaper criticizes Springfield for its failure to provide crucial daily reports from the appraisal operations of the Afina oil field to the Petroleum Commission.
In December 2024, the Petroleum Commission headed by Lawyer Egbert Faibille gave Springfield 15 days to produce these reports citing Section 52 (3) of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, 2016, Act919, yet Springfield has not complied. Instead, the company has focused its efforts on lobbying for key positions within the industry, including roles for the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Explorco, and the Commission.
It appears some of the positions lobbied have been filled with different individuals, sparking turmoil in certain quarters related to Springfield with the last hope of maintaining Michael Aryeetey, the brain behind the unitization directive, at Explorco.
The Herald is resolute in its stance, unlike many media houses gagged by Springfield with threats of a lawsuit, that transparency is essential for the effective management of Ghana’s oil resources. The newspaper is committed to ensuring that public interest is defended, especially in light of Springfield’s failure to comply with industry standards. We believe that the court provides an opportunity to hold Springfield accountable, and The Herald is prepared to counter-sue in defence of the national interest.
A key aspect of The Herald’s defense is the opportunity to subpoena witnesses, including contractors, to testify under oath and affirm the newspaper’s claims. This will provide an opportunity to debunk Springfield’s assertions, including the company’s claim that it has discovered 1.5 billion barrels of oil in the Afina field. The Herald also intends to challenge other inconsistencies and misrepresentations that led to the failed arbitration, which has cost Ghana financially and stalled the development of the oil sector.
Moreover, The Herald intends to demonstrate that Springfield has inflated daily rates for its appraisal operations, leading to financial losses for GNPC and Explorco. Through sole sourcing of services, Springfield is accused of engaging in activities that undermine the financial stability of Ghana’s state-owned entities.
These actions are seen as part of a broader pattern where Springfield, with the backing of powerful political figures, has undermined the oil industry, which has seen a decline in production—from 170,000 barrels of oil per day in 2019 to just 130,000 barrels per day in 2023.
The Herald remains committed to exposing these malpractices in order to safeguard the country’s economic interests. While Springfield may have attempted to gag the press and silence its critics, this newspaper has made it clear that such efforts will not succeed. The Herald is confident that an independent forum, such as the court, will provide an avenue to ensure compliance with industry standards, as well as demand accountability from Springfield and other stakeholders in the oil industry.
Kevin Okyere’s claims that we lack the capacity to author the stories, and that the articles are written in Italy and sent to us for publication, are baseless lies that should be treated with the contempt they deserve. His additional allegation that we attempted to extort money from him through the publications is equally false and should be dismissed as utter rubbish.
As the legal battle unfolds, it is clear that The Herald will not back down. Springfield’s efforts to intimidate the media and suppress criticism will only strengthen the newspaper’s resolve to continue its investigation into the oil sector.
In this regard, we welcome the new leadership at the Petroleum Commission, led by Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, and trust her to uphold the confidence placed in her by President John Dramani Mahama, demonstrating due diligence, accountability, and transparency as the core principles of her administration.
Ultimately, the court will be the arbiter of the truth, and The Herald will stand ready to defend Ghana’s oil industry and the public’s right to know.
To infinity and beyond!
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