Executives of energy and oil and gas sector institutions during a panel discussion

EXPLORCO, the exploration division of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), is set to spud its first exploration well in the Voltaian basin in Q1 2026, targeting new leads and play-opening discoveries.

The company is currently conducting research to support exploration and is inviting partners to help unlock this frontier basin.

Speaking at the Invest in African Energies: Accra Briefing held recently, Managing Director of EXPLORCO, Michael Aryeetey, emphasized, “We will go ahead with the Voltaian project because it is a key project for the country. This is historical because no exploration well has been drilled there since 1974. Because there is so much to do in the basin, the strategy is to invite other partners to explore and drill in the basin. We are looking for credible partners.”

The investor briefing provided insights into Ghana’s upstream investment opportunities, highlighting how infrastructure-driven exploration has become a top priority for the country.

This strategy is expected to attract diverse investments from exploration and production firms. According to Richard Gyan-Mensah, Deputy Minister of Energy and Green Transition of Ghana, “To investors, Ghana is open for business. There are vast unlicensed blocks offshore available through direct negotiations. There are also partnership or farm-in opportunities for some of the contract areas. Risk has been successfully reduced in some of these blocks.”

Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC), NJ Ayuk, commented that this approach reflects a “Ghanian-first strategy that benefits everyone. Ghana is back, it is ready for investment and ready for energy dominance. As we move forward, I want to encourage [stakeholders] to believe in the potential of Ghana. Believe in this country, believe in this energy sector.”

Echoing these remarks, President of the AEC in Ghana, David Pappoe, stated: “Ghana’s energy sector is at a pivotal stage and we need investment. We are here to discuss how we can drive investment into Ghana.”

To further support upstream investment, Ghana has been enhancing its regulatory and fiscal environments. Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, Acting CEO of the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, noted, “A lot of work has been done on the regulatory side, and we will soon come to the public and announce these. The fiscal regime is something we are looking at, including the length of time taken to get permits and reporting issues and audits. We are looking at having a licensing round – it is a mandate of the Minister.”

These efforts are aimed at boosting spending in the upstream sector to mitigate production decline from Ghana’s mature fields. CEO of oil and gas company GOIL,Edward Abambire Bawa, stated, “From 2019 until now, production declined by 25 percent, due to many attributes such as lack of investment. We are currently assessing opportunities.”

One of the government’s main priorities is to increase production at the active Jubilee and TEN fields. Victor Kofi Sunu-Attah, former Advisor to the CEO and General Manager, Engineering at GNPC, explained, “We have 640 million barrels in the Jubilee, TEN and surrounding fields and 1.2 trillion cubic feet of gas in place. We are doing research to ensure that these resources can be brought to the surface. We invite investors to partner with companies that have 2D and 3D seismic on their blocks and are ready to drill.”

The Invest in African Energies: Accra Investor Briefing served as a precursor to this year’s African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies conference, taking place from September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town. The event provided a platform to discuss commercial oil and gas opportunities in Ghana, setting the stage for further discussions and deal-making in Cape Town.

A Business Desk Report

Rev. Rod Parsley in a chat with Lady Mrs. Monica Wengam (left), Rev. Wengam and Rev. Anaba

The General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Wengam, has graced the Jesus Power Assembly of God in Columbus, Ohio, USA as guest speaker for its annual flagship event, dubbed: “Wisdom Conference.”

Rev. Wengam, who was accompanied by his wife, Lady Mrs. Monica Wengam, used the occasion to pay a courtesy call on the world renowned televangelist, Rev. Rod Parsley, who is also the Senior Pastor of World Harvest Bible Church in Columbus, Ohio.

Also present were Rev. Eastwood Anaba of Fountain Gate Chapel, who was guest speaker at World Harvest Church in Columbus, and Apostle Bismark Osei Akomeah, Senior Pastor of Jesus Power Assemblies of God in Columbus, Ohio.

Rev. Wengam commended Rev. Rod Parsley for the tremendous impact of his worldwide television ministry and humanitarian activities, especially in war-torn areas of the world.

“This is bringing the gospel and relief to millions of people,” Rev. Wengam added.

He lauded the ministry of Rev. Anaba, whom he described as an endtime apostle whose rare ministry has brought “revival, sanity and order in the body of Christ.”

Rev. Rod Parsley expressed gratitude to Rev. Wengam and his delegation for the visit.

He later prayed with them.

President John Dramani Mahama has announced a new initiative by the Ghanaian government to offer 1,000 scholarships to tertiary students from across the ECOWAS sub-region to study in Ghanaian universities.

Speaking at the official launch of the ECOWAS 50th Anniversary in Accra on Tuesday, April 4, President Mahama emphasized the importance of regional integration, dialogue, and peaceful co-existence.

He said the scholarship programme aims to bridge socio-cultural gaps among young people in West Africa and promote a sense of unity.

“Let us position our sub-region not only as a political and economic block but as a diplomatic anchor for the continent, a model of integration, dialogue and peaceful co-existence.

“To mark this moment and strengthen regional bonds, Ghana is offering 1,000 scholarships to tertiary students across the ECOWAS sub-region to study in our universities.

“This is not just a gesture, it is an act of solidarity. It is a bridge to a future where our young people will grow up seeing each other not as foreigners but as partners,” he said.

Violent extremism threatening Africa’s democratic gains – Tinubu

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep concern over the escalating threats of violent extremism and unconstitutional changes of government in West Africa, cautioning that these challenges undermine the region’s democratic progress.​

Conveying President Tinubu’s message at the official launch of ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Accra, on Tuesday, April 22, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Biance Odumegwu-Ojukwu, emphasised the urgent need for collective action.​

As Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to regional stability and democratic governance.

He called on member states to strengthen cooperation and uphold the principles enshrined in the ECOWAS Treaty

“Our region continues to grapple with new and evolving threats, violent extremism, climate change and food insecurity. The wave of unconstitutional changes in our region seriously threatens the democratic gains we have painstakingly built,” Tinubu said.

Dignitaries in attendance included President John Dramani Mahama, former Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, ministers of state, members of parliament, students and representatives from various member countries.

Akonta Mining: Galamsey allegations politically motivated

…..

Explore the world of impactful news with CitiNewsroom on WhatsApp!

Click on the link to join the Citi Newsroom channel for curated, meaningful stories tailored just for YOU:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCYzPRAYlUPudDDe53x

No spam, just the stories that truly matter! #StayInformed #CitiNewsroom #CNRDigital

Ghanaian students in Hungary, spanning undergraduate, master’s, and PhD levels, have voiced strong concerns over 11 months of overdue allowances.

The students expressed deep distress regarding the non-payment of their stipends and book allowances, which have accrued over two academic years.

They stated that attempts to communicate with the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat have been unsuccessful.

In a statement released on Monday, April 21st, the students lamented, “This chronic financial neglect has resulted in a crisis that jeopardizes our education, well-being, and future chances.

“Efforts made by the student leaders to engage with government officials (Ghana Scholarships Secretariat) to request urgent solutions have yielded no results. As a result, many students are now experiencing dire hardships.”

They are urgently appealing to the government for intervention.

“We sincerely hope that the government and other stakeholders will heed this urgent call to action and come to our aid before any further disasters occur.”

 Click here to read the statement by Ghanaian students in Hungary

Akonta Mining: Galamsey allegations politically motivated

…..

Explore the world of impactful news with CitiNewsroom on WhatsApp!

Click on the link to join the Citi Newsroom channel for curated, meaningful stories tailored just for YOU:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCYzPRAYlUPudDDe53x

No spam, just the stories that truly matter! #StayInformed #CitiNewsroom #CNRDigital

Staff of ECG and the participants

Military officials from the National College of Defence Studies in Accra have been taken through the value chain of the energy sector at a seminar organised for them by the Western Region office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

This was when the military personnel visited the regional offices of the ECG to familiarise themselves with its operations.

The National College of Defence Studies, established in May, 2023, seeks to prepare senior military officers and personnel from allied African countries in related field of Defence and National Security for strategic level leadership.

The team was made up of 26 members drawn from the Ghana Armed Forces, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MDAs), and three allied Participants from Nigeria, Rwanda and Zambia.

Speaking at the seminar, the Regional General Manager of ECG, Ing. Emmanuel J. Ofori, explained that the core business of the company is to distribute electricity to support the nation’s socio-economic growth.

He indicated that, the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Independent Power Producers (IPPS) generate the electricity, whereas the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) does the transmission.

Ing. Ofori mentioned that the Regional ECG ensures that there is quality and stable electricity supply across the region.

He said, “However, there could be some outages which may occur as a result of faults, overgrown vegetation, bush fires, felling of trees among others”.

He added that, the region embarks on vegetation control and other preventive measures to mitigate such challenges.

For his part, Ing. Yaw Sarfo also said the company is bedeviled with challenges such as illegal connections, vandalisation of transformers, and infiltration of fake or foreign meters.

“These unscrupulous activities negatively impact our operations and increase system losses,” he added.

The team also visited the Ketan Bulk Supply Point (BSP) where they were briefed about the transmission operations of the GRIDCo and distribution done by ECG.

The leader of the team, Air Commodore Odoi Wellington, described the visit as an eye opener and revealing.

He expressed immense appreciation to the management of ECG for the knowledge imparted.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi

The Late Pope Francis

The death of Pope Francis in an Italian hospital on  April 21, 2025 marks the end of a significant era for the Vatican and the global Catholic following of 1.3 billion faithful.

Pope Francis was elected leader of the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013. He is the first pope from the Americas and also the first to come from outside the West in the modern era.

By the time the Argentinian Cardinal, Jorge Bergoglio, was elected pope in 2013 there was a general feeling that the Catholic church was reaching the end of an era. At the time, the church was beset by crises, from corruption to clerical sexual abuse.

Some of the challenges facing the church which the ageing Pope Benedict XVI could no longer handle included: the readmission of a Holocaust denying bishop into the church, mounting evidence of corruption in the Vatican Bank, multiple cases of clerical sexual abuse in many parts of the world, the confusion created in the English-speaking world with the translation of the New Roman missal into English.

Moreover, the church was reeling from the revelation of papal secrets of his predecessor Pope Benedict by the papal butler. A book detailing these secrets portrayed the Vatican as a corrupt hotbed of jealousy, intrigue and underhanded factional fighting.

The revelations caused the church a great deal of embarrassment.

It meant therefore that Cardinal Bergoglio was elected by the Catholic cardinals with a mandate to clean up the church and reform the Vatican and its bureaucracy. He was to institute processes and procedures for transparency, accountability and renewal of the church and its structures, and address the lingering scandals of clerical abuse.

The Pope’s Global Legacy

Three key things defined his papal role and legacy.

First is concentrating on the core competence of the church: serving the poor and the marginalised. This is what the founder of the Christian religion, Jesus Christ, did.

Francis focused the Catholic Church and the entire world on one mission: helping the poor, addressing global inequalities, speaking for the voiceless, and placing the attention of the world on those on the periphery.

He also chose to live simply, forsaking the pomp and pageantry of the papacy.

Secondly, he changed the way the Catholic Church’s message is communicated. In his programmatic document, Evangelii Gaudium, he called the church to what he calls “missionary conversion”. His thinking was that everything that is done in the church must be about proclaiming the good news to a wounded and broken world.

His central message was that of mercy towards all, an end to wars, our common humanity and the closeness of God to those who suffer. The suffering in the world continues to grow because of injustice, greed, selfishness and pride. He also focused on symbols and simple style to press home his message, like celebrating mass at a wall that divides the United States and Mexico.

In 2015, he made a risky trip to Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, during a time of war and tension between the fighting factions of the Muslim Seleka and the Christian anti-balaka. He drove on the Pope mobile with both the highest ranking Muslim cleric in the country and his Christian counterpart and visited both a Christian church and a mosque to press home the message of peace.

The third strategy was restructuring the church and reforming the Vatican bank.

He created the G8 (a representative council of cardinals from every part of the world) to advise him, calling the Catholic Church to a synod for dialogue on every aspect of the life of the church. This effort was unprecedented.

He also overhauled the procedures for the synod of bishops, making it more participatory, and gave women and the non-ordained voting rights. He shook up the membership of the Vatican department that picks bishops to include women. He appointed the first woman (Sr Simone Brambilla) to lead a major Vatican department and to have a cardinal as her deputy. Another woman (Sr Raffaella Petrini) was named the first woman governor of the Vatican City State.

Pope Francis and Africa

The pontiff’s legacy will be keenly felt in Africa. Three things stand out.

First, he reflected the concerns of people on the continent with his message against imperialism, colonialism, exploitation of the poor by the rich, global inequality, neo-liberal capitalism and ecological injustice. Pope Francis became a voice for Africa. When he visited Kenya in 2015, he chose to visit the slums of Nairobi to proclaim the gospel of liberation to the forsaken of society. He called on African governments to guarantee for the poor and all citizens access to land, lodging and labour.

In a sense, Pope Francis embodied the message of decolonisation and was driven in part by the liberation theology that developed in Latin America. This theology tied religious faith with liberation of the people from structures of injustice and structural violence.

Secondly, he encouraged African Catholics to develop Africa’s own unique approach to pastoral life and addressing social issues in Africa. Particularly, Pope Francis believed in decentralisation and local processes in meeting local challenges. He said many times that it is not necessary that all problems in the church be solved by the pope at the Roman centre of the church.

In this way, he encouraged the growth and development of African priorities and cultural adaptation to the Catholic faith. He also encouraged greater transparency and accountability among African bishops and gave African Catholic universities and seminaries greater autonomy to develop their own educational priorities and programmes.

Thirdly, Pope Francis had a very deep connection to Africa’s young people. He encouraged and supported initiatives and programmes to strengthen the agency of young people, to give them hope and support their personal, spiritual and professional development. For the first time in history, on November 1, 2022, Pope Francis met virtually with more than 1,000 young Africans for an hour. I helped organise this meeting. He answered their questions and encouraged them to fight for what they believe.

A Reformist Agenda

The reforms of Pope Francis could be termed a movement – from a church of a few where priests and bishops and the pope call the shots to a church of the people of God where everyone’s voice matters and where everyone’s concerns and needs are catered to.

He quietly changed the tone of the message and the style of the leadership at the Vatican.

Granted, he did not substantially alter the content of that message, which is often seen as conservative, Eurocentric, and resistant to cultural pluralism and social change. But he constantly chipped away at its foundations through inclusion and an openness to hearing the voices of everyone, including those who do not agree with the church’s position. In doing this, he shifted the priorities and practices of the Catholic church regarding such core issues as power and authority.

Pope Francis opened the doors to the voices of the marginalised in the church — women, the poor, the LGBTQI+ community, and those who have disaffiliated from the church. Many African Catholics would love to see more African representation at the Vatican, and many of them also worry about the widening division in the church, particularly driven by cultural and ideological battles in the west that have nothing to do with the social and ecclesial context of Africa.

Why His Papacy Mattered

Pope Francis was the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, the first to choose the name Francis and the first to come from outside the west in the modern era. He chose the name Francis because he wanted to focus his papacy on the poor, emulating St Francis of Assisi.

In a sense, Pope Francis redefined what religion and spirituality mean for Catholicism. It’s not laying down and enforcing the law without mercy, it is caring for our neighbours and the earth. This is the kind of religion the world needs today.

By Stan Chu Ilo, Research Professor, World Christianity and African Studies, DePaul University.

In celebration of Earth Day 2025, Nviron Hive Limited and Npontu Technologies have announced a strategic partnership aimed at driving progress in the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), climate, and technology sectors across the African continent.

This collaboration unites Nviron Hive’s proficiency in sustainability advisory services and green financing solutions with Npontu’s technological strengths in Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, Software and Mobile App development, Value-Added-Services, and IT Consulting and Managed Services.

The partnership’s initial undertaking will be the development of the flagship Nviron Tech platform.

“Our partnership embodies the spirit of this year’s Earth Day theme, ‘Our Power, Our Planet,’” stated Otema Yirenkyi, Co-Founder of Nviron Hive Limited. “By combining our respective strengths in sustainability and technology, we’re creating solutions that harness our collective power to protect our shared planet while driving economic growth.”

At the core of this collaboration lies the innovative Nviron Tech platform—envisioned as Ghana’s leading green investment and crowdfunding marketplace. This comprehensive platform will be rolled out in phases:

Phase 1:

• Investment: A crowdfunding component designed to connect sustainable projects with investors.
• Insights: An insights and education platform offering market intelligence and capacity building resources.

Phase 2:

• Enhancements to investment capabilities, including deal rooms and additional investment instruments.
• A community-building system to foster collaboration and provide a convening space for stakeholders within the green economy.

“Africa stands at a critical crossroads in its development journey,” commented Stephane Nwolley, CEO of Npontu Technologies. “Through our AI-powered platform, we’re creating the digital infrastructure needed to ensure that growth across the continent is both economically viable and environmentally sustainable. This isn’t just about technology—it’s about creating a framework for a thriving, renewable future.”

The Nviron Tech platform will leverage advanced AI to deliver three key innovations:

• Intelligent investor matching algorithms that connect green projects with suitable funding sources.
• AI-driven market intelligence and data visualization tools that track sustainability trends.
• Automated impact metrics to quantify the environmental benefits of investments.

The platform will support a variety of investment structures, including equity-based investments, debt-based lending, revenue-sharing arrangements, and convertible notes, thereby broadening access to sustainable investing for a wider range of participants.

“We’re beginning our sustainability journey by focusing on investing in projects within renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and e-mobility,” added Dzifa Amageshie, Co-Founder at Nviron Hive Limited. “To mark Earth Day, we are leading the way with action. Before asking others live and work more sustainably, we’re transforming the Npontu Technologies offices with native plant landscaping. We’ll then expand this green initiative to surrounding neighbourhoods, embodying our belief in being the change we want to see.” Deborah Asamah, Business Development Executive, further emphasized this commitment.

This partnership arrives at a crucial time as the world focuses on tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030—a central objective of Earth Day 2025’s “Our Power, Our Planet” campaign. The Nviron Hive-Npontu partnership directly addresses this by integrating renewable energy solutions across all their projects and providing specialized financial mechanisms to fund clean energy transitions that align with government and development priorities, noted Kwame Agyepong, Co-Founder of Nviron Hive Limited.

“Our ambition extends beyond building a platform—we’re creating an ecosystem that will accelerate Africa’s transition to renewable energy and sustainable development,” said Otema Yirenkyi, Co-Founder of Nviron Hive Limited. “The technology we’re developing will make it easier for everyone to participate in this vital transition.”

For more information about this partnership or to schedule an interview, please contact: [Contact Information] [email protected], [email address removed]

About Nviron Hive Limited:

Nviron Hive is a sustainability-focused enterprise specializing in advisory services, green financing solutions, and strategic value creation within the renewable energy sector and nature-based solutions. The company is dedicated to developing impactful approaches that address climate change by leveraging sustainable financial expertise and ecological innovations.

About Npontu Technologies:

Npontu Technologies is a leading technology company specializing in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, Software and Mobile App development, Value-Added-Services, and IT Consulting & Managed Services for businesses. The company is committed to harnessing the transformative capabilities of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence that enable you to extract insights, enhance efficiency, and stay ahead in today’s data-driven world. Find out how we apply next-gen technology to unlock growth and drive innovation for your organization.