Energy minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh has underscored the need for Africa to be allowed to use every energy resource at its disposal for the benefit of its people.

The Minister made this known while speaking at the 24th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) in Calgary, Canada.

He reiterated Ghana’s firm stance on fully exploiting its hydrocarbon resources for the shared economic prosperity of its citizens in the wake of the energy transition.

Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh made the point that oil and gas exploration and production will continue in the next few decades to ensure the availability of natural gas, which for us, is the transition fuel.

Read his full statement below:

We continue to pitch a strong narrative of Ghana and for that matter Africa being allowed to use every energy resource at its disposal for the benefit of its people.

For this reason, I did not mince words at a Ministerial session on Monday at the opening of the 24th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) in Calgary, Canada, reiterating Ghana’s firm stance on fully exploiting its hydrocarbon resource for the shared economic prosperity of its citizens in the wake of the energy transition.

I made the point that oil and gas exploration and production will continue in the next few decades to ensure the availability of natural gas, which for us, is the transition fuel. Cognizant of the impacts of hydrocarbons on the environment, I indicated that we have already included Carbon Capture and Storage and other green interventions in our Energy Transition Framework to duly take care of emissions.

I further used the opportunity to market Ghana’s sedimentary basins which have huge oil and gas prospects and can be leveraged to develop the clean energy resources and green infrastructure we require.