Ghana's Parliamentary Committee on Energy has appealed to the Ministry of Finance to release $5.6 million owed to the Petroleum Commission. The funds are crucial for completing a dedicated petroleum data centre, which will enhance the Commission's regulatory capacity and provide reliable petroleum data to investors and exploration companies. Committee Chairman Emmanuel Bedzrah made the appeal during a working visit to the Petroleum Commission on September 23, 2026.
The Petroleum Commission has formally written to the Ministry of Finance requesting the release of the funds, but the money has yet to be paid. Bedzrah emphasized the importance of allowing the Commission to access the funds to complete its data set. The Commission's inability to operate its own data centre currently makes it dependent on the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) for critical petroleum data.
Bedzrah questioned the arrangement, arguing that the Petroleum Commission, as the sector's regulatory institution, requires independent and reliable access to the data it uses to regulate the upstream industry. A dedicated data centre will enable the Commission to provide accurate and credible information to potential investors interested in Ghana's upstream petroleum sector.
The release of the outstanding funds will allow the Commission to complete its data infrastructure and establish a modern facility capable of supporting Ghana's petroleum exploration and investment drive. A properly resourced data centre will also strengthen the Commission's ability to regulate activities in the upstream petroleum sector effectively.
Ghana is preparing to intensify petroleum exploration, including plans by GNPC and Explorco to drill the first onshore exploration well in the Voltaian Basin before the end of 2026. The Energy Committee believes that strengthening the Petroleum Commission's data infrastructure is crucial to ensuring that Ghana is adequately positioned to attract investment.
The Committee's appeal to the Ministry of Finance is part of its oversight of Ghana's upstream petroleum sector. The Committee's working visit to the Petroleum Commission aimed to assess the Commission's regulatory capacity and identify areas for improvement. The Committee emphasized the importance of releasing the funds to support the Commission's critical functions.
The Energy Committee's efforts to support the Petroleum Commission's data infrastructure development are expected to contribute to Ghana's goal of attracting investment and effectively regulating activities in the upstream petroleum sector. The release of the $5.6 million will enable the Commission to establish a world-class data centre that will support Ghana's petroleum exploration and investment drive.
Key points
- The Energy Committee is appealing to the Ministry of Finance to release $5.6 million owed to the Petroleum Commission.
- The funds are necessary for completing a dedicated petroleum data centre to enhance the Commission's regulatory capacity.
- The release of the funds will support Ghana's petroleum exploration and investment drive.
