The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of GOIL PLC, Edward Abambire Bawa, has urged the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to make technology transfer a mandatory requirement for companies seeking licences to operate in Ghana’s petroleum sector.
Speaking at the 7th Ghana International Petroleum Conference (GhIPCon) in Accra, Mr. Bawa said the effectiveness of technology transfer largely depends on how licensing frameworks are designed and enforced.
He argued that petroleum licences issued to investors should contain clear provisions that require companies to demonstrate measurable mechanisms for transferring technical expertise and knowledge to local operators.
According to him, licensing conditions should not only focus on attracting investment but also ensure that local companies and professionals gain lasting technical capabilities from partnerships with foreign investors.
Mr. Bawa explained that in cases where Ghanaian firms enter joint ventures with international companies possessing advanced technology and capital, there should be clearly defined processes to ensure that the expertise introduced into the country is effectively transferred and retained.
He cautioned that counting the number of workshops, conferences and training sessions conducted by companies does not necessarily prove successful technology transfer.
“You can organise several training programmes and expose people to new technologies, but those activities alone do not guarantee that employees have developed the required competence or are fully familiar with the technologies being deployed,” he said.
The GOIL CEO encouraged the NPA to adopt lessons from the upstream petroleum sector, where technology transfer obligations are already incorporated into licensing arrangements.
He said a well-structured licensing system, supported by effective regulatory oversight, would help address existing gaps and ensure that Ghanaian professionals working in the downstream sector acquire and retain critical technical skills.
Mr. Bawa added that strengthening technology transfer requirements would improve local capacity, promote knowledge retention and support the long-term development of Ghana’s petroleum industry.