Environmental Governance and Regulation of the Oil Industry in Ghana: A Multi-Stakeholder Capacity Building Needs Assessment

Abstract

Abstract Ghana is blessed with a wealth of new-found oil and gas resources. Discovery of the giant Jubilee field has given Ghana's leaders a sense of great opportunity and an equally great responsibility to avoid falling subject to the "oil curse". To help manage this balance, in 2010 the World Bank and the Norwegian government extended $58 million dollars in financing to help Ghana build systems to responsibly govern the development of its oil and gas resources. However, in putting this aid to good use Ghana must first understand and build consensus across various agencies and other stakeholders regarding its own needs for capacity building. In 2011 Ghana's Ministry of Environment and Kosmos Energy undertook a "Needs Assessment of Capacity Building for Environmental Governance and Regulation of the Oil and Gas Industry" in an effort to establish this basis for progress. The study included interviews and workshops with dozens of stakeholders, and integration of the findings and recommendations of studies by government agencies, finance organizations, NGOs and other organizations regarding environmental governance in Ghana. The study identified ten high level need categories and specified 57 actions needed to make progress on strengthening the governance and regulatory systems to better manage future oil and gas activities. The Ministry intends to use the Assessment and associated Capacity Building plan as a needs-based foundation for building Ghana's capacity to better govern the environmental and social concerns associated with its oil boom.