Publications /
Policy Paper

Back
Ghana and the Oil Sector: Beyond the Resource Curse?
Authors
Mathieu Pellerin
September 30, 2015

Four years after the Jubilee block went into production, we can make an initial assessment of the governance of Ghana’s oil resources. In terms of its institutional structure, Ghana is seen as a model for the entire continent. This structure is certainly not an empty shell and serves as an effective regulator for this strategic sector and, singularly, for the use of oil revenues. Although this framework clearly has its limitations, as highlighted in this paper, the balance sheet is a positive one and there have been notable improvements since 2011. The relative success of this governance is a direct consequence of Ghana’s political maturity. This is evidenced by the preeminent role played by Parliament and civil society in formulating, implementing, monitoring and continuously improving this framework for governance. Conditions seem to be reunited for Ghana to transform its oil potential into opportunities for success. However, this is not the case, and this is due to economic obstacles as much as a Ghanaian sense of desilusion concerning oil exploitation and the benefits thereof.

RELATED CONTENT

  • Authors
    Laurence Nardon
    Siméon Rust
    December 6, 2021
    Thanks to the positive momentum in transatlantic relations brought about by the arrival of the Biden administration, significant progress is expected on a range of key digital issues. New rules are emerging that are designed to level the playing field for economic actors and ensure the respect of civil liberties, while significant new investments in technological innovation are taking place amid considerable industrial reorganizations. This paper proposes to shed light on seven part ...
  • Authors
    December 6, 2021
    Between January 2020 and June 2021, the world spent about US $16.5 trillion (18% of world GDP) to fight COVID-19, and this amount does not even include the most important losses such as deaths, mental health effects, restrictions on human freedom, and other nonmonetary suffering. Nearly 90% of this amount was spent by developed economies; the rest by emerging market and developing economies. Low-income countries spent just US $12.5 billion, or less than 0.0001% of the total. Moreove ...
  • December 6, 2021
    The Covid-19 pandemic advanced numerous instrumental responses for online education under the urgent global shutdown of face-to-face classrooms and has accelerated and reassessed the adoption of digital tools, especially in advanced economies. While some praise the benefits of online in...
  • December 3, 2021
    El año 2021 marca para los países de América Latina, salvo Bolivia y Cuba, el inicio de un nuevo e intenso período electoral, que se extenderá hasta 2024. Renovaciones o reelecciones de presidentes en un contexto marcado por la incertidumbre económica, la polarización política y por la ...
  • Authors
    December 3, 2021
    Not all is quiet on the Chinese/Chinese front. Warships are sailing through the Taiwan Strait. One day, an American missile guided US destroyer, the next a Canadian Frigate, some Chinese submarines, or one of Beijing’s new aircraft carriers. Shadows of a new cold war, possibly turning into an unpredictable escalation. America’s National Public Radio (NPR) reporter Scott Neuman stated (October 6, 2021), “Taiwan says tensions with China are at their worst in 4 decades.” With the situ ...
  • December 3, 2021
    El año 2021 marca para los países de América Latina, salvo Bolivia y Cuba, el inicio de un nuevo e intenso período electoral, que se extenderá hasta 2024. Renovaciones o reelecciones de presidentes en un contexto marcado por la incertidumbre económica, la polarización política y por la ...
  • Authors
    December 3, 2021
    Si le recours aux énergies renouvelables ne peut que croître, doit-on symétriquement considérer que le gaz naturel est, à l’instar du pétrole et du charbon, une énergie du passé ? Cette question simple en apparence, appelant une réponse tranchée et nécessairement positive au regard de l’impératif climatique, de la nécessité de décarboner nos économies, mais également des engagements politiques pris dans ce sens par de nombreuses nations. Le bien-fondé environnemental de ce raisonnem ...
  • Authors
    Sabine Cessou
    December 1, 2021
    This young and outspoken Ghanaian citizen, a peace and security expert with a focus on gender, describes herself as “engaging, accomodating and seeking”. Born and raised in Ghana, Joana has a deep knowledge of her country, as her father was transferred a lot throughout his career. Her family has also spent some time in Louisville, Kentucky. As a teenager, her dreams were definitely altruist, as she wanted to become a photojournalist or a human rights lawyer. Since 2017, she is the ...