By The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has raised concerns about the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation’s (GNPC) ongoing expenditure on the maritime boundary dispute and related activities, despite the Ghana Boundary Commission being the mandated authority to address these issues.
In 2023, GNPC spent $1.13 million on the Maritime Boundary Special Project, adding to a total of $14 million spent on maritime boundary-related activities. This follows previous expenditures highlighted in PIAC’s 2017 annual report, where GNPC allocated $3.8 million towards the Ghana-La Cote d’Ivoire Maritime Boundary Dispute Secretariat activities.
PIAC has demanded a refund of the $3.8 million, emphasizing that the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) dispute is a matter between two sovereign states, not a sovereign state and a National Oil Company (NOC). PIAC argued that it is inappropriate to use GNPC’s resources for litigation costs.
Despite PIAC’s demand, the 2023 annual report showed that the $3.8 million expenditure from 2017 had not been refunded. GNPC defended its spending, asserting that as the manager of the state’s oil interests, the expenditure on the dispute did not adversely affect the corporation.
Further scrutiny by PIAC in its 2023 annual report revealed additional spending by GNPC, totaling $14 million on maritime boundary-related activities, including the $1.13 million on the Maritime Boundary Special Project. PIAC noted that GNPC continued to allocate funds to the maritime boundary dispute despite the Ghana Boundary Commission’s mandate and budget for such matters.
PIAC acknowledged GNPC’s argument that these expenditures were part of its annual work programme approved by Parliament but disagreed with GNPC’s justification. PIAC maintains that it is inappropriate for GNPC to cover costs related to the maritime boundary dispute.
