President Akufo Addo during the 62nd Independence day celebration, said he remains highly optimistic that the search for oil in the Voltain basin- Northern Region – will not be in vain.
In an address at Ghana’s 62nd Independence Day Celebration which was held in Northern Regional capital, Tamale, on Wednesday 6th March, 2019, President Akufo Addo was positive that oil find in Tamale which is part of the Voltain basin will turn around the fortunes of the people up north.
“I hope that very soon we shall be hearing some exciting news about developments in the Northern Region. Twelve years ago, after deliberately focusing investment in the upstream sector, we discovered oil in commercial quantities offshore the Western Region. Since coming to office two years ago, I’ve directed the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation to invest systematically in the Voltain basin covering six adjoining regions including the Northen Region here to search for oil onshore. I’m confident that our search will not be in vain and that very soon these areas that have been characterized by avoidable levels of poverty will be buzzing with significant investments and creation of jobs.”
The Voltain Basin accounts for more than 40 per cent of Ghana’s land mass which stretches from the Eastern, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern and Volta regions.
Ghana’s Jubilee Oilfield which contains up to 3 billion barrels (480,000,000 m3) of sweet crude oil was discovered in 2007, among the many other oilfields in Ghana.
Oil and gas exploration in Ghana is ongoing, and the amount of both crude oil and natural gas continues to increase.