EPA outlines oil & gas capacity-building project
The Board Chairman of the EPA, Mr Sissi Wilson, gave the outline in Accra when he launched the Guidelines for Environmental Assessment and Management for Offshore Oil and Gas Development in Ghana.
The guidelines define screening criteria for environmental assessment for oil and gas sector investments, determine the scope of environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the sector and provide guidelines on common potential impacts and mitigation measures.
The EPA Board Chairman explained that the procurement process for the boat had reached an advanced stage, with a supplier having been identified and a manufacturing contract awarded.
Mr Wilson also said the EPA was building a small laboratory in the Western Region to support oil and gas activities, while other equipment and vehicles for monitoring had been procured.
He added that the EPA had created an Oil and Gas Department and recruited 25 members of staff dedicated to the sector, adding, “These staff have picked their appointment letters and are expected to report for duty in the first week in December.”
Under the oil and gas capacity-building project, he said EPA staff had undergone training in environmental assessment of oil spills, with more officers ready for training next year.
“The EPA is also entering into an agreement with a company that will provide oil spill response technical and equipment assistance for the country in cases where oil spills could not immediately be traced to any polluter,” Mr Wilson stated.
In addition, the government had also entered into a five-year cooperation agreement with Norway through the Oil for Development Programme, through which Norway would provide technical assistance in resource management, the environment and revenue.
The Head of the Oil and Gas Department at the EPA, Mr Kojo Agbenor-Efunam, who presented the outline of the guidelines, explained that the document had been categorised into eight sections, including those putting the oil and gas sector in context before delineating the environmental impact assessment process.
He said there were sections that discussed industry-specific impacts and how to manage them, as well as performance indicators and monitoring.
Story by Samuel Doe Ablordeppey