Former Minister of Energy, NAPO
The office of former Minister of Energy Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO) has refuted claims by Bright Simons, Vice President of the policy think tank IMANI Africa, that he issued the controversial unitization directive involving Springfield Exploration and Production Limited and Eni Ghana Exploration and Production Limited (ENI).
The directive, which has since been withdrawn by the current government, was at the center of a dispute over the Afina-1X Discovery and the Sankofa Cenomanian Oil Field.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bright Simons criticized the previous government’s decision to unitize the two oil fields, describing it as “bizarre” and attributing the directive to NAPO, who served as Energy Minister from 2021 to 2025.
However, in a statement released on February 27, 2024, by NAPO’s Press Aide, Kofi Abrefa Busia, the former minister clarified that the unitisation directive was issued in 2020 when he was serving as Minister of Education, not Energy.
According to NAPO, the directive was referenced in a withdrawal letter signed by the current Energy Minister, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, which clearly dates the directive to 2020.
“In the withdrawal letter signed by the current Energy Minister, Hon. John Jinapor, all the unitization directive letters he referred to were from the year 2020, when Dr. Prempeh was serving as Minister of Education. In fact, Dr. Prempeh assumed office as Energy Minister on March 7, 2021.
“A careful reading of the withdrawal letter and a recollection of historical facts could have prevented Mr. Simons from making this avoidable error,” the statement read.
NAPO’s office described Simons’ attribution as “untrue” and demanded a retraction and apology, emphasizing that opinions on government decisions should be expressed with accuracy and decorum.
“Opinions may be expressed regarding decisions by the new government on any matter, but they must be done with accuracy, circumspection, and decorum.
“As a sign of courtesy and good faith, we therefore demand that Mr. Simons retract and apologize to Dr. Prempeh for this wrongful attribution, as it is untrue,” the statement concluded.
ID/MA
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