{
  "id": 9599182,
  "title": "Parliament appeals for release of GH¢5.6 million to Petroleum Commission",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/parliament-appeals-for-release-of-gh-5-6-million-to-petroleum",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T17:44:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghanaian Times",
    "slug": "ghanaian-times",
    "url": "https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/parliament-appeals-for-release-of-gh%c2%a25-6-million-to-petroleum-commission/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy has urged the Ministry of Finance to release GH¢5.6 million to the Petroleum Commission for the establishment and operation of a state-of-the-art data centre. The Committee believes this funding will enhance the Commission's ability to manage essential upstream petroleum data and improve its operations. Chairman of the Committee, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, emphasized that the move is vital for revitalizing Ghana's upstream petroleum industry and boosting oil production. Despite recent declines in investment and hydrocarbon production, the approval of an extension of the petroleum agreement until 2030 has bolstered funding, resulting in increased production from 80,000 to 120,000 barrels per day. Concerns have been raised about repeated budget allocations for oil exploration in the Voltaian Basin, with the Committee insisting that such funds must yield tangible results. The Committee's appeal was made during a visit to the Petroleum Commission as part of its oversight activities aimed at evaluating its operations and management practices. Petroleum Commission CEO Emeafa Hardcastle briefed the Committee on the Commission's responsibilities, which encompass regulating, managing, and coordinating upstream petroleum activities. Hardcastle reported that the government has taken steps to reverse the decline in crude oil production, maintain output, and position Ghana favorably in Africa's competitive petroleum sector. Government has also secured approximately US$35 billion in fresh commitments to revitalize the sector. The Committee plans to conclude its monitoring visit with meetings at the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL).",
  "summary": "The Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy has appealed to the Ministry of Finance to release GH¢5.6 million to the Petroleum Commission to enable it to establish and operate a world-class data centre. According to the Committee, access to the funds will strengthen the Commission’s capacity to manage critical upstream petroleum data and improve its operations. … The post Parliament appeals for…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}