The Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Alliance, comprising four coalitions and eight organizations focused on Ghana's extractives and environmental governance sectors, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to prioritize infrastructure investment in the petroleum industry.Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Security and a leading member of the Alliance, Nana Amoasi VII, underscored the sector's vital role in Ghana's economy.

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He stressed that increased attention to the petroleum sector would ensure stability and drive economic growth.Addressing the press on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Nana Amoasi VII urged the government to explore partial privatization of the sector to tackle its financial challenges.

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He emphasized the need for targeted investments and strategic reforms, stating, “Invest in critical infrastructure and explore partial privatization options to tackle financial challenges, prioritize domestic crude oil supply for local refineries as mandated by the petroleum agreement, and align the sector with global energy transition goals for long-term sustainability.

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”He also proposed that entities purchasing crude oil on credit should be required to settle their debts within 60 days to maintain financial stability in the sector.Highlighting the importance of collaboration with local refineries, Nana Amoasi VII explained, “Working with local refineries will build confidence among investors before they make their investments. We want to see synergy between the upstream and downstream sectors.

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That’s why we have it in our petroleum agreement that domestic crude supply from our indigenous fields should be prioritized for local refineries, but we are not seeing that happening.”He called on the government to enforce existing regulations, noting that doing so would reduce freight costs for local industries, create jobs, strengthen the local currency, and contribute to the growth of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

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The Alliance further emphasized the importance of utilizing Ghana’s natural resources effectively while adhering to global energy transition goals, positioning the country as a leader in sustainable energy development.

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