Today marks exactly a year since I stepped through the doors of our former office at 335 Place to a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the management and staff of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC).
Before I go on about my early days in office, allow me to share once more a humorous anecdote that truly set the tone for what my deputies, our dedicated staff, and I have accomplished over the past year.
Shortly after His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama announced my appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the PHDC, I, as usual, received an outpouring of congratulatory messages from friends, family, and industry colleagues.
One call stood out and proved remarkably influential in shaping my approach over the last 12 months. A close friend rang to say, โDoc, congratulations! I donโt know much about the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation, but since it involves petroleum, I know thereโs serious money there.โ
The remark was funny because my friend was basing his assumption solely on the word โPetroleumโ in our name. Yet he was both right and wrong. Right, in that the Petroleum Hub holds immense potential for substantial economic and financial impact; wrong, in that at its current developmental stage, the Corporation is not yet a major revenue-generating entity compared to our sister agencies.
Though lighthearted, that conversation became an important moment for me. It perfectly encapsulated the critical challenge ahead: here was a transformative national project with the power to reshape Ghanaโs energy landscape and economic future, yet it suffered from limited awareness both locally and internationally. Few truly grasped its potential as a game-changer for the country.
I often compared the PHDC and the Petroleum Hub project, at the time we assumed leadership, to a brightly lit candle hidden under a bushel. My immediate priority became removing that bushel to let the light shine. That realisation kept me awake many nights.
For days, I kept asking myself these questions:
- How do we help Ghanaians recognise this project as the nationโs most reliable path to energy security?
- How do we convince the people of Jomoro that the Petroleum Hub project represents the single largest initiative capable of transforming their area into a โGhana Rotterdamโ and create abundant jobs for the youth?
- How do we convince global investors that the Petroleum Hub project is Ghana and Africaโs premier investment destination?
- How do we ensure the President views the Petroleum Hub as the quintessential 24-hour economy project, one that will define his legacy?
The answers to these questions came in a multifaceted and comprehensive publicity and stakeholder engagement strategy that brought the project closer to all relevant parties.
Internally and externally, we worked tirelessly to build recognition among key stakeholders: senior government officials, international and local investors, chiefs and elders of Jomoro and the Western Region, sister agencies, regulatory bodies, the media and CSOs.
On the government side, we managed to secure a crucial engagement with the president, who shortly afterwards, issued two very consequential directives that we are now actively implementing with strong support from the Hon. Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister for Energy, and the Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources. We are working together to address the issues of land size and also to secure funding for the compensation and operations of the PHDC.
I am delighted to report that, twelve months on, the narrative around the Petroleum Hub within government has shifted dramatically from scepticism about its feasibility to widespread recognition of its vital role in energy security. From His Excellency the President, through to Parliament, especially the Members of the Energy Committee to all involved, we now enjoy full endorsement and unwavering commitment.
Among investors, our targeted outreach, both domestic and international, has borne fruits. Participations in major events such as the Global Energy Show, Africa Oil Week, the Offshore Technology Conference, Lets Go to Asia, and the Local Content Conference and Exhibition have generated significant interest, with over seventy local and foreign investors expressing keen interest.
We have made some progress with the investors for Lot 1 and signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with four consortia who are ready to commence work and advance the project.
I cannot overstate my gratitude to the former and current Paramount Chief of Jomoro and their elders. Their steadfast support over the past year has been exemplary. Every engagement leaves me with the clear impression that they are fully onboard and eager for the project to launch, so their land and youth can reap its benefits.
Our sister agencies have been exceptionally supportive. The National Petroleum Authority continues to provide outstanding financial backing. We have established a joint committee with the Ghana National Petroleum Commission to explore collaboration opportunities, and constructive discussions are ongoing with Ghana Gas, BOST, and TOR.
The media and civil society organisations have played an indispensable role, consistently highlighting our efforts and ensuring the Ghanaian public remains informed about the Petroleum Hubโs importance to the nationโs future.
To our Board members: thank you for your invaluable guidance and direction. Though you joined toward the end of last year, your commitment has been instrumental, and I look forward to our continued fruitful collaboration.
To the management and staff of the PHDC: ayekoo! You are an outstanding team. I could not have hoped for better colleagues. It is an honour and a privilege to lead such dedicated, resourceful, and determined individuals who are committed to making history by bringing this ambitious vision to life.
The road ahead remains daunting, but we have already proven our capacity to surmount obstacles and deliver on our mandate.
We have designated this year as the โYear of Action,โ and I am confident that by the time we mark my second anniversary in 2027, we would have resolved the issues around compensation and be celebrating tangible, on-site progress at the project site in Jomoro.
God bless the PHDC. God bless our homeland, Ghana.
