Report card time!

Ghana’s oil industry is getting its first term report card! The Civil Society Platfrom on OIl and Gas will hand out the grades Monday morning in Accra. The media is invited and I’ll be there to find out who has been a good student and who needs to show more effort.

I had the opportunity to meet with one of the report card authors yesterday and asked him about their grading philosophy. As a parent I know this is delicate issue. I found out the Civil Society Platform has been thinking about this question for some time and has come up with a grading system intended to hold the stakeholders accountable while noting accomplishments and positive developments.

Although a number of observers remain optimistic about Ghana’s chances of avoiding the so-called resource curse, there are many reasons to be concerned. The Civil Society Platform members are watching the industry closely and believe the government needs to take  concrete steps in the coming months to put the country on the right track. With new contracts and drilling plans in the works, now is the time to do the right thing.

Grades and report tomorrow.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 10th, 2011 at 10:42 am.