{"id":42154,"date":"2014-08-26T19:18:16","date_gmt":"2014-08-26T19:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=42154"},"modified":"2014-08-26T19:48:15","modified_gmt":"2014-08-26T19:48:15","slug":"2nd-fpso-should-have-been-named-after-rawlings-acep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=42154","title":{"rendered":"2nd FPSO should have been named after Rawlings – ACEP"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Africa Centre for Energy Policy<\/a> (ACEP) has stated the country\u2019s second Floating Production, Storage and Offloading facility\u00a0(<\/em>FPSO) should rather have been named after former President John Rawlings.<\/p>\n

ACEP is of the opinion that former President Rawlings contributed significantly to the development of the oil and gas sector in Ghana.<\/p>\n

The Energy Minister on Tuesday announced plans by the government to name the new FPSO after the late President John Evans Atta Mills.<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

According to him, after an exhaustive debate over the naming of the facility, it was agreed that all past presidents have made significant contributions but preference was given to leaders who have passed on.<\/p>\n

Although ACEP\u2019s Executive Director, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adams agreed that the late Professor Mills\u2019 name deserves to be used for the FPSO, he is convinced that his [Mills] predecessor should have been given that honour.<\/p>\n

Recalling the achievements of the late President in the oil and gas industry, Dr. Adams mentioned he [Late Mills] \u201cinherited from President Kufuor the development of the jubilee fields, he did not interrupt it, and he allowed the development to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe also spearheaded the passing of two important legislations; the petroleum revenue management law and then the petroleum commission law.\u201d<\/p>\n

But according to the ACEP boss,\u00a0 Rawlings laid the foundation for the industry to thrive after Ghana\u2019s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.<\/p>\n

Former President Rawlings is credited for setting up the\u00a0Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), the passage of the petroleum law which is currently still used to govern the exploitation of petroleum resources and the passage of the petroleum income tax law.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026and so that significant development during ex-President Rawlings\u2019 time provided the platform for oil companies to come into Ghana to look for oil and so I thought that after Kwame Nkrumah, President Rawlings should have been the next person to be recognized,\u201d Dr. Adams remarked.<\/p>\n

ACEP further stated that after President Rawlings, President John Kufuor should have been next.<\/p>\n

According to the ACEP boss, President Kufuor changed the model petroleum agreement and created an enabling environment for companies \u201cthat came eventually to find oil in an area which previously was called a grave yard so he should have followed and then Professor Mills.\u201d<\/p>\n

He urged the government to apply consistency in making such decisions because \u201cconsistency is critical rather than being selective.\u201d<\/p>\n

He criticized the selection process saying, \u201cwhen we are selecting in the way we recognize our leaders, it really doesn\u2019t help in creating unity in this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such situations, he said, will give room for \u201cpoliticians to come in and take the debate away from people who mean well for this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

An FPSO is a critical infrastructure which aids most offshore oil development.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
\nFollow @osamidan<\/a>
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