The first ECOWAS Mining and Petroleum Forum and Exhibition (ECOMOF 2015) scheduled to take place on October 6 to 8, 2015, has been launched today in Accra.

The Forum organised by the ECOWAS Commission, Government of Ghana and AME Trade Ltd will gather government delegations from the 15 ECOWAS Member States and private and public sector participants at the Accra International Conference Centre to help promote development of the region’s mining and petroleum potentials.

ECOWAS Commissioner of Energy and Mines, Dr Bangoura Morlaye at the launching said the Forum coincides with the 40th anniversary of ECOWAS which is a sign for Member States to be forward looking when it comes to the development of the extractive industry.

Dr Morlaye said ECOWAS has a duty and responsibility when it comes to the management and development of the mining and petroleum industry making the Forum a means to realise the Commission’s objectives.

Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Honourable Armah Kofi-Buah acknowledged the importance of the Forum which is to help address the “challenge of integrating the exploitation of our natural resource endowment into the economies of countries in the sub-region.”

In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Mr. Benjamin Dagadu, Hon. Kofi-Buah called for a collective effort for sustainable development and management of resources to meet the needs of current and future generations.

“It is my expectation that the forum will bring to the fore technological advancement in natural resource extraction and harmonisation of legal, regulatory and taxation instruments as well as strengthening trade in mining and oil products”, he added.

Honourable Nii Osah Mills, Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and Chairman of the occasion who declared ECOMOF 2015 launched said Ghana agreed to host the Forum because the theme, “Valorising West Africa’s Mineral and Petroleum Resources through Regional Cooperation” is tied with the objectives of the Government of Ghana.

He called on the support of partners with the expectation that all countries of the sub-region will experience a similar outcome which is what the current Africa Mining Vision adopted by the African Union seeks to achieve.

Present at the launch were representatives from the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ghana Chamber of Oil and Gas and public and private stakeholders.