Ensure transparency, accountability in petroleum revenue use - PIAC urges media

The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has urged journalists to use their editorial platforms to promote transparency and accountability in the management and use of petroleum revenues.

The Chair of PIAC, Emerita Professor Elizabeth Ardayfio-Schandorf, was speaking at a media engagement on the management and use of petroleum revenues in the country at Prampram in the Ningo Prampram District in the Greater Accra Region on Tuesday.

It formed part of an outreach programme and community engagement by PIAC in the area.

The participants were briefed on matters related to the operations of PIAC and its interventions in the district, as well as how the committee could collaborate with the media going forward.

Present were some PIAC members, including a representative of independent policy research think thanks, Clara Beeri Kasser-Tee; a representative  of Muslim Groups, Dr Ibrahim Lartey, and a representative of the National House of Chiefs on the Committee, Odeefuo Amoakwa Boadu  VIII.

Oversight

As established under Section 51 of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA), PIAC, Prof. Ardayfio-Schandorf said, served as a unique citizen-led statutory body tasked with additional public oversight responsibility to support the work of Parliament over the collection, allocation and utilisation of petroleum revenues.

She said PIAC's roles included oversight and monitoring, accountability, advocacy, public engagement and policy recommendations, adding that the committee was mandated to publish two reports annually—an annual report and a semi-annual report based on the collection, collation, reconciliation and analysis of production and revenue data from relevant stakeholder institutions.

Touching on the role of the media to enhance accountability in the management of petroleum revenues, Prof Ardayfio-Schandorf called on journalists to engage more closely with PIAC to report on the committee's findings and recommendations to keep the public informed and also hold public officials accountable.

She said this would ensure that the country’s petroleum revenues were managed effectively and transparently to benefit both current and future generations.

The chairperson reiterated PIAC’s recommendation that the selection of the annual budget funding amount (ABFA) should be guided by a long-term national development plan approved by Parliament in conformity with the Act.

Challenges

Ms Kasser-Tee said a significant challenge PIAC faced was the lack of enforcement powers since  the committee relied on Parliament to enforce the implementation of its recommendations on the management and use of petroleum revenues.

Collaboration

The Tema Regional Chairperson of the Ghana Journalists Association, Emma Dzifa Tetteh Tay, said the association was ready to build long-term partnership with the PIAC in the national interest.

As part of its activities in the district, the committee engaged a cross section of residents and also inspected some projects that were being funded through petroleum revenue.

The projects included upgrading works of the Prampram - Anyaman (Latsinyo - Anyaman) road, surfacing of the 22 kilometre Dawa-Ahwiam Ningo feeder road, construction of concrete drain at New Ningo and ongoing works on the Agenda 111 district hospital.

Writer’s email: benjanin.glover@graphic.com.gh