Call for my resignation regrettable – Freddie Blay

The Board Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has described calls for his head and that of the immediate of the Ag. CEO by some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as unfortunate.

According to Freddie Blay, the CSOs are in pursuit of an ulterior motive that is not in the best interest of the country.

His comment follows a press conference organized on Tuesday, May, 23, urging him and the acting CEO to be removed from post.

Among other things, the 29 CSOs had alleged that GNPC plans to sell a 50% stake in Jubilee Holdings Limited (JOHL),  which is a subsidiary of the GNPC to PetroSA, disregarding the significant revenue potential it holds for the state.

Again, the Board Chairman was accused of offering interest in Ghana’s oil fields to PetroSA.

They alleged that Mr Blay had written to PetroSA offering it an equal split in the interest held by GNPC’s subsidiary Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited.

But rubbishing the claims, the former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said GNPC is yet to outline the specifics for finality on the matter.

“….this compromise is subject to confirmation, and subsequent advice of the Minister. We are still in the stage of ongoing discussions,” a statement by Mr Blay added.

The GNPC boss said he is open to investigations on the issue so as to ascertain the facts without misinforming the public.

“GNPC’s doors remain wide open to all Civil Society Organizations and individuals alike. I extend an invitation to investigate and ascertain the facts before succumbing to orchestrated and futile frenzies.”

Mr Blay concluded by stressing that he has also taken note of the libellous statements made against him by his detractors including the CSOs.

He was emphatic that he “reserves the right to take legal action against these organisations and anyone engaged in this diabolic exercise of destroying my name and reputation.”

Find the full statement from Mr Freddie Blay below:

PRESS RELEASE

RE: “Pre-emption of Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited acquisition of Anardarko interest”

Recently, Ghana’s media landscape has been inundated with unfounded and malicious allegations surrounding Freddie Blay, the Chairman of GNPC.

These baseless claims propagated through statements attributed to a purported group of 29 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), have gone so far as to demand my resignation as Board Chairman.

My detractors, without verifying the facts with GNPC, make baseless claims suggesting my involvement in a supposed “scandalous” transaction aimed at offloading 50% of GNPC’s existing stake in the Deepwater Tano Contract Area (DWT). Furthermore, they assert that this action constitutes a divestment of the State’s beneficial interest.

Interestingly, there are others who assert, quite sadly, that they have uncovered a secretive and covert endeavour by GNPC and its board chairman to sell the 7% shares acquired by the Republic of Ghana from Anadarko West Cape Three Points Company (Anadarko) to Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (Petro SA). To present the truth, I provide the following information for those seeking accurate insight.

Sale and Divestment of 7% “Shares” Acquired from Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited (JOHL)     

Ghana is a country of law, and there are laws and procedures governing the sale and transfer of shares, under Ghana’s Companies Act 2019 (Act 992), even for private companies. I encourage all my accusers, and the public to Google “what is the procedure for share transfers in Ghana”, educate themselves, and draw their own conclusions on the veracity or duplicity of the allegations. Shares of a company are not a pack of cigarettes anyone, and for that matter, the Chairman of GNPC can keep in his or her pocket and vend by the street!   

The allegations surrounding the supposed “surreptitious,” “clandestine,” and “scandalous” sale of so called GNPC shares are unequivocally false. There is no intention by GNPC or me as its Chairman, to divest 7% shareholding in JOHL nor has there been any claim by PetroSA to acquire shareholding interests in JOHL. Such claims can only stem from an uninformed and malevolent mind.

The Matter of The Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (“PetroSA”)

In March 2006, the Government of the Republic of Ghana (“The State”) represented by the Minister for Energy (“Minister”), the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (“GNPC”), executed a Petroleum Agreement (“PA)” in respect of the Deepwater Tano Contract Area (“DWT”), with Tullow Ghana Limited (“Tullow”), Sabre Oil and Gas Limited (“Sabre”), Kosmos Energy Ghana HC (“Kosmos”) and Anadarko Offshore Holding Company, LLC (“AOHC”). These companies are hereinafter collectively referred to as “Contractor”. GNPC as is mandatory in the PA holds a 10% carried interest in DWT.

PetroSA, in July 2012 completed the acquisition of the shares of Sabre after receiving the consent of the Minister of Energy, the Honourable Joe Oteng-Adjei, earlier in February of the same year. By the acquisition of the assets and liabilities of Sabre, PetroSA legally assumed the equity interests of Saber as a Contractor in the PA relating to the DWT.

Specifically, PetroSA bought out Sabre’s interest in three assets i.e., the producing Jubilee field (1.7%), the Deepwater Tano Block at (4.05%), and the West Cape Three Points Block at (1.854%). Also, and by virtue of becoming a Contractor under the PA, PetroSA also, became a party in the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) relating to the DWT.

As a party to the DWT JOA, PetroSA like all other parties in the Agreement, is entitled to the benefits and rights granted in the said agreement. This includes the ability to exercise a right to pre-empt any divestments to any unidentified third party for any intended transfers of all or a portion of and Participating Interests, whether directly or indirectly by assignment, merger, consolidation, or sale of stock or shares or other conveyance.

In 2021, AOHC created and incorporated a new Company i.e., Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited (“JOHL”), in Cayman Islands. JOHL, and Anadarko assigned to JOHL (“JOHL Transfers”) a 7% Participating Interest in the DWT JOA and a 5.95% interest in the DWT Petroleum Agreement. It also entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Kosmos Energy for the sale of Anardarko, and with the GNPC for the sale of JOHL.

Post the acquisition of JOHL by GNPC, after serving a notice to pre-empt rights to purchase the 7% Participating Interest in the DWT JOA currently held by JOHL, PetroSA has since engaged GNPC to acquire said Interests.

As a compromise solution, we have proposed the option of a 50:50 split of the 7% shares GNPC was holding. It is important to note that we have yet to outline specifics for the finality on the matter, and this compromise is subject to confirmation, and subsequent advice of the Minister. We are still in the stage of on-going discussions.

GNPC’s doors remain wide open to all Civil Society Organizations and individuals alike. I extend an invitation to investigate and ascertain the facts before succumbing to orchestrated and futile frenzies.

The call for my resignation, as well as that of the CEO, in relation to this matter is deeply regrettable and unfortunate. CSOs, are expected to protect the interests and rights of civil society, seek the public good and national interest. Instead, the 29 CSOs that have called for my resignation, chose to engage hastily in this matter without seeking the facts, and rather misinform the public, in pursuit of ulterior motives and a vested interest. This is detrimental to the public good, and the national interest.  

I have taken due note of the libellous statements against me by my detractors including the said CSOs, and reserve the right to take legal action against these organizations and anyone engaged in this diabolic exercise of destroying my name and reputation.

FREDDIE WORSEMAO ARMAH BLAY

CHAIRMAN

Dated: Thursday, 24 May 2023 for release to all Media Houses and Relevant Internet Portals

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