The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC), Opoku Ahweneeh Danquah, says the development of the GNPC’s Voltaian Basin Project has so far seen a massive contribution to Ghana’s local content targets.

Speaking at the opening of the 2022 Local Content Conference, which attracted players in the petroleum sector, Mr. Opoku Ahweneeh Danquah said the phase 1 to 3 development has witnessed tremendous local content contracting and employment.

“The project aims to culminate in the drilling of GNPC’s first well in the Basin. As part of exploration efforts, GNPC has acquired and processed over 3,800-Line km of 2D seismic data from Phase 1 to 3. Phase 3 is now about 77% complete. In 2023, GNPC will acquire additional 2D seismic data and collect geochemistry samples to further aid our understanding of the basin. GNPC’s local content plan has seen real results. Phase 1 involved 46% of local goods and services contracted, while Phase 3 has seen 100% of the goods and services contracted locally.  Phase 3 has also involved no less than 95% of indigenous staff employed,” he noted.

Also speaking on the theme of the 2022 Local Content Conference; “Sustaining Local Content Development Through Enhanced Exploration and Production Activities In the Era of Energy Transition,” Mr. Danquah further urged the conference to serve as the right platform for deepening local content, just as the GNPC is using its Voltaian Basin development to build local content capacity.”

“The conference must serve as a timely reminder that our ability to carve a transition path that works, depends heavily on our own technical capacity. In addition, we must strive for commercial self-sufficiency, including encouraging financing from within the continent. These goals can only truly be realized when local content development operates to its full potential. At the same time, the key discussion points of this conference provide guiding lights as to how we can maximize local content development within the context of petroleum exploration and development… National oil companies like GNPC also hold a significant key to enhancing local content development. GNPC is using its Voltaian Basin Project, which is a homegrown project, to boost local content. The project was born out of the Corporation’s drive for commercial operatorship of its oil and gas assets coupled with a strong national desire for Ghanaians to manage and retain a maximum benefit from our petroleum resources”, he said.

The Minister for Energy, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh while emphasizing the significance of the theme of the 2022 Local Content Conference, said the success of the conference would be realized only if it translates into widespread local content capacity development and its benefits.

“Every organization in this room who see the success of this conference, the discussion, the deals that may or may not be done, the participation will lead to a better Ghana for everybody. Ghanaians need training, need capacity building in the oil and gas industry. I just want to say that it takes time so we must be patient. You can’t have oil today and tomorrow you have all your trained people, but we as leaders must put in place the system and the structures that will continually produce people to be able to participate in the industry. But we can only do that where the upstream industry is growing… So I want more Ghanaians to team up with experienced people, and companies to exploit our mineral resources,“ he said

The Western Regional Minster, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah who also graced the local content conference said the conference’s sustainability is contributing to the economy of Takoradi and the region.

Besides the speeches and panel discussions which are the keep feature of the three-day 2022 Local Content Conference, the several International Oil Companies and Local Indigenous Support Service Companies participating are also exhibiting their services and products at the exhibition center which was opened by Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh.