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….Stakeholders engaged on draft bill
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) hosted industry players in Ghana’s petroleum downstream sector on Monday, 25 August, to deliberate on the draft NPA Bill as part of efforts to finalise the legislation.
The forum, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, was chaired by the Minister of the sector, John Abdulai Jinapor, and attended by his Deputy, Richard Gyan-Mensah, along with officials from the Ministry.
In his welcome address, the Acting Chief Executive of the Authority, Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, noted that the current NPA Act (Act 691), enacted in 2005, does not adequately address the needs and evolving challenges of the rapidly growing petroleum downstream sector.
He stressed the need for a new, comprehensive legal framework that is responsive to present and future industry demands.
Whilst expressing confidence in the country’s expertise in the petroleum downstream, Mr Tameklo assured stakeholders of continuous engagement to ensure that their inputs are fully captured in the draft bill.
“The current Act, which was enacted in 2005, is 20 years old, and in the life of a fast-growing industry like the petroleum downstream, that is enough time for deeper reflection on the journey thus far. Fortunately, Ghana has some of the finest minds in the petroleum downstream industry, experts, associations and practitioners, to help us shape perhaps the next 20 years of the NPA,” he remarked.
For his part, the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, expressed gratitude to stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to the ongoing review of the draft bill.
He emphasised that “this stakeholders’ forum demonstrates government’s commitment to transparency, reform and inclusiveness, even as we move towards a more robust and efficient petroleum downstream sector.”
Mr Jinapor also noted that the review comes at a crucial moment amid heightened global calls for energy sustainability and security. He stressed the need to enhance the regulatory framework of the petroleum downstream industry and position it to thrive in a competitive and sustainable environment.
He further stated that the NPA Act, and by extension the draft bill, which is expected to be laid before Cabinet before submission to Parliament, will not only regulate the sector in terms of legal requirements but also address policy concerns and guide the formulation of strategic initiatives for the industry’s growth.
During the forum, industry players and stakeholders took turns to comment on the draft bill, offering valuable contributions that will be considered in the review process to strengthen the legislation and safeguard the future of Ghana’s petroleum downstream sector.
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