The Minority in Parliament has rejected suggestions that the recent oil discovery milestones by ENI Ghana should be credited to the President Mahama administration.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, July 7, 2025, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Energy Committee, Collins Adomako-Mensah, said the appraisal and commercial declaration of the Eban and Akoma oil fields stemmed from actions taken under the Akufo-Addo administration.

According to Mr Adomako-Mensah, ENI’s Akoma and Eban discoveries were made in 2019 and 2021, respectively, following approvals and technical guidance provided during the previous government’s tenure. He described the Mahama administration’s claim to credit as misleading.

He explained that ENI drilled the Akoma-1X well in the Cape Three Points Block 4 (CTP-B4) in 2019 and announced a gas and condensate find on May 9 of that year. A second discovery, Eban-1X, was announced on July 6, 2021. In July 2022, Mr Adomako-Mensah said the Akufo-Addo government approved a joint appraisal of the two wells to reduce costs and fast-track progress toward production.

The formal declaration of commerciality was submitted on July 3, 2025, by the joint venture partners ENI Ghana Exploration & Production Ltd, Vitol Upstream Tano Ltd, Woodfields Upstream Ghana Ltd, and GNPC Exploration & Production Company Ltd (Explorco)—in coordination with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.

In an earlier statement, the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, described the discovery as a “major boost” to Ghana’s oil and gas sector. He said it reflected the government’s interest in developing the country’s hydrocarbon resources in a sustainable way.

“The declaration of commerciality for the Eban-Akoma discoveries is a major boost to our oil and gas sector. It highlights the immense potential of our offshore resources to fuel economic transformation, improve energy security, and support Ghana’s industrialisation agenda,” Mr Jinapor said.

The declaration clears the path for the preparation of a Plan of Development (PoD) for the Eban-Akoma project. The Ministry said the plan would promote local participation and resource recovery in line with national policy, adding that it would work with the Petroleum Commission and GNPC to provide oversight.

But Mr Adomako-Mensah argued that the Mahama administration had no hand in the discovery or appraisal process. “What has taken place is simply a reporting obligation by the contractor, following an appraisal programme that was approved long before this government took office,” he said. “It is misleading for the Mahama administration to take credit for something it had no role in initiating.”

He also accused the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition of attempting to rewrite the facts for political gain and said the upstream petroleum sector operates on timelines that stretch over several years.

The Minority also cited several other discoveries made during the Akufo-Addo presidency, describing them as the result of sustained technical and policy work. Mr Adomako-Mensah said it was premature for a government in office for only seven months to claim credit for processes it did not initiate.

In response to a question about the business climate during the NPP era, he dismissed claims that the sector was unfriendly to investors. He pointed to ENI’s continued investment and recent commercial declaration as proof of confidence in the operating environment.

“If the conditions were not favourable, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” he said.

Mr Adomako-Mensah urged the current government to focus on completing ongoing work in the sector and allow the records to reflect the facts.