Ghana Energy

The country has been attempting for several years to combat the problem of illegal mining, in which foreigners join or compete with indigenous, small-scale miners in an untaxed activity that is meant to be the preserve of Ghanaians. An update to the legislation covering the mining sector, if approved, will provide law enforcement agencies with...

The role of galamsey, or artisanal, small-scale miners, in Ghana has become increasingly important. This group is currently responsible for all diamond production and its share of gold production has more than doubled since 2008, as the rise in gold prices has attracted more people to try their hand at mining. These operators are currently not...

The mining sector in Ghana, in particular gold mining, is one of Africa’s oldest, but growth has been hampered in recent years by external factors such as lower metal prices and internal ones like the rising cost of electricity and illegal mining. These difficulties have combined to boost costs and lower profit margins in the sector, and legal...

Energy sector revenue management has been a legislative priority for the Ghanaian government since 2007, when commercial quantities of oil were discovered offshore. The government started with a revenue management act, called the Petroleum Revenue Management Act of 2011 (PRMA). The PRMA is likely to be amended, given the difficulties involved...

With the era of oil and gas under way in Ghana, the country’s legal and regulatory regime is still evolving and the roles of state agencies are changing. Yet amid the reforms the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), which is now more than three decades old, will continue to play a major part. GNPC is mandated to incorporate other...