The state-owned Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has dismissed claims of ownership of some of Ghana’s oil fields by its western neighbour, Cote d’Ivoire, describing such claims as lacking merit.
It said the claims would not disturb the country’s oil production in anyway, pointing out that the boundaries between the two countries had been very clear and undisputed and any new claims to the contrary would have to be proved with facts.
Ivorian claims to some of the oil off-shore Ghana’s Western Region have become louder since Ghana began commercial production in 2010 and more discoveries continue to be announced.
The state-owned Graphic newspaper reported on Tuesday that the Chief Executive Officer of the GNPC, Nana Boakye Asafu-Adjaye, said one year after beginning commercial production of oil: “I can confidently say that Ghana is on course towards sustainable oil and gas production.”
He said since the 2007 “Jubilee Field” discovery, there had been many other subsequent oil discoveries in the Western Region, adding that efforts were being made for the commercial development and production of the new discoveries in the next few years to enhance revenue from oil.
Nana Asafu-Adjaye said currently, the oil production rate was below expectation due to some mechanical problems, and dismissed suggestions that the delay in the gas project was the reason why the projected daily production rate of 120,000 barrels had not yet been reached.
Ghana currently produces about 80,000 barrels per day
