According to Mr Poku, much of the ongoing public debate stems from a misunderstanding of Springfield’s investment journey and the boldness required for a Ghanaian-owned company to succeed in the capital-intensive upstream sector. He noted that Springfield’s involvement in WCTP 2 remains one of the most significant indigenous investments in Ghana’s upstream petroleum industry.

He pointed out that among the four upstream operators—Tullow Ghana Limited, Eni Ghana E&P, Aker/Pecan Energies, and Springfield—Springfield stands out as the only Ghanaian operator, blazing a trail for future local participation in the sector.

Mr Poku recalled that when Springfield bid for the relinquished block in 2012, many doubted the capacity of a Ghanaian company, especially one led by a 32-year-old founder, to make meaningful progress in such a demanding environment. Kevin Okyere, Founder and CEO, continued the application process in 2014 and secured the block at age 36. Parliament ratified the award in 2016 after years of persistence, planning, and significant financial investment.

He further recounted Springfield’s bold move to acquire seismic data, even though it was not part of its initial programme. The company contracted the Ramform Titan—one of the world’s largest seismic vessels—to undertake a full 3D seismic survey over the 673-square-kilometre block in April 2017. The operation, which cost US$9,317,000, helped enhance the value of the subsurface data.

The seismic findings informed the Afina-1x drilling campaign, which led to a major hydrocarbon discovery in commercial quantities. Mr Poku noted that the discovery increased the oil-in-place to more than 1.5 billion barrels and gas resources to 1.2 trillion cubic feet. Projections indicate that the fields could produce about 80,000 barrels of oil per day at peak and roughly 250 million standard cubic feet of gas daily.

He stressed that this deepwater discovery in the Cenomanian and Turonian formations marked a significant achievement unmatched by any other indigenous African upstream operator. All operations, he added, were completed on schedule, within budget, and without safety incidents. The data has since been confirmed by reputable independent petroleum consultants in the US and UK.

Mr Poku explained that after the discovery, the field became the subject of a dispute with Italian oil major Eni. Following an arbitral ruling, the Petroleum Commission directed Springfield to appraise the Afina discovery. In what he termed an unprecedented achievement, Mr Okyere mobilised resources to complete the appraisal in just three months, confirming the commercial nature of the find and its communication with the Sankofa field—strengthening the call for unitisation.

He highlighted that all operations, including seismic acquisition, drilling, regulatory compliance, and recurrent expenditures estimated at US$280 million, were funded by Mr Okyere and his partners. Thousands of jobs were created through direct employment and service-related contracts. Mr Okyere has consistently stated that the assets must be developed for the benefit of Ghanaians and Africans.

Mr Poku said ongoing discussions with the government were focused on raising fresh capital and exploring options such as bringing in new partners or enabling GNPC-Explorco, currently holding 5 per cent, to acquire more stakes. He urged that the deliberations be viewed from a national strategic perspective, emphasising that Springfield’s investment represents a valuable national asset worthy of fair consideration.