Development experiences in local content and oil and gas legislation, as well as the best practices for the exploitation of hydrocarbons, were just some of the lessons that were passed on to Guyana’s Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo by his Ghanian counterpart, Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, during bilateral discussions on Friday.
These discussions are part of Dr. Jagdeo’s three-day state visit to Ghana aimed at enhancing and fortifying the bilateral ties between the two oil-producing countries.
Ghana’s local content policy ensures that its citizens are given the first preference when it comes to supplying goods or services to oil companies and/or their supporting contractors operating in its waters.
Ghanaians represent some 86% of the West African country’s workforce, holding core positions in all aspects of the sector, and over 700 Ghanaian-owned companies are registered to supply services and goods to oil companies.
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From the visit, technical teams from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Petroleum Commission (PC), Ghana Gas, Energy Commission and other stakeholders in the West African country’s energy sector are set to engage their counterparts in Guyana to share ideas and exchange learnings.
“We are here to listen and learn, and given your experiences in the oil and gas sector, I am sure we have come to the right place” Vice President Jagdeo declared, adding, “Our ongoing cooperation is testament to how well we can work together and learn from each other. We want to deepen our cooperation beyond the oil and gas sector, to trade and investment in each other’s country. We want to learn from you in the areas of agriculture, digitization, health, especially your Agenda 111, and infrastructure development.”
Recalling the longstanding relations between Ghana and Guyana and the uncanny similarities in their histories, Vice President Bawumia said Ghana remains a staunch supporter of peace and democratic development in the West Africa sub-region. He said given the emerging opportunities, particularly in the energy sector, greater cooperation would serve as a catalyst for trade and investment for both countries.
Oil producers Guyana and Ghana agree to enhance collaboration
As a sign of Ghana’s readiness to provide practical learnings, Vice President Bawumia presented a large bound folder detailing the origins and implementation plans for Government’s Agenda 111, designed to make health care accessible and affordable at the lowest level of society.
