Panel Discussion in Washington on Ghana

Publish What You Pay national coordinator Mohammed Amin Adam will be discussing “Can Ghana Beat the ‘Oil Curse’? Countdown to First Oil” with the Ghanan Ambassador to the United States H. E. Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum on Monday the 26th of April 2010. Ian Gary Extractive Industries Policy Manager at Oxfam America and author of the report Ghana’s Big Test: Oil’s Challenge to Democratic Development will moderate the debate, which is taking place in Washington DC at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Centre, 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW (metro Dupont Circle) from 3pm to 5pm.

Ghana is viewed by many as an African success story, with peaceful democratic transitions, a lively independent media sector and an active civil society. Oil production beginning at the end of this year will bring significant challenges to the country. New laws, regulations and institutions must quickly be put in place to manage the sector and the accompanying billions of dollars in government revenue. Ghana’s government is developing new policies and rules for petroleum revenue management, regulation and local content that are now the subject of intense public scrutiny. The government is conducting public consultations and recently published a “preliminary proposal” for oil revenue management, but much more needs to be done. Come hear about the steps government is taking to prepare for first oil as well to hear about civil society positions and advocacy efforts.

About the speakers:

H. E. Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum was appointed as ambassador to the United States in January 2009 by President John Evans Atta Mills and has served in various diplomatic and political posts since 1971. He has served as Deputy Director, Middle East and Asia Division, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and served for six years as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada. Ambassador Ohene Agyekum served as a substantive Minister in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government (1993-1998) and has also served as Greater Accra Regional Minister and Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs and State Protocol. Ambassador Ohene Agyekum has a Bachelor of Arts, Honors Degree in History from the University of Ghana, Legon, and joined the Ghana Foreign Service in 1965. He has a post graduate Diploma in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and an International Certificate in Diplomacy the Australian National University.

Mohammed Amin Adam is an energy economist by profession and currently serves as the National Oil Coordinator of Publish What You Pay – Ghana, a civil society coalition focused on promoting the transparent and accountable management of oil and mineral wealth. He holds a B. A. (Hons) Degree in Economics and a Master of Philosophy (Economics) from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He is also a PhD candidate in Petroleum Economics and Policy at the University of Dundee (UK). Mr. Adam was an Energy Policy Analyst at the Ministry of Energy of Ghana and a former Commissioner of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and also has considerable experience in public service having served his country as a Deputy Minister of State and a Mayor of Ghana’s third city, Tamale.

Ian Gary is Senior Policy Manager for Extractive Industries with Oxfam America, and directs the organization’s policy and advocacy work on oil/gas and transparency related issues. Prior to joining Oxfam in 2005, Ian was Strategic Issues Advisor – Extractive Industries at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) from 1999 to 2005. He has held positions with the Ford Foundation as well as international development organizations in the U.S. and Africa. Ian is the author of the Oxfam America report Ghana’s Big Test: Oil’s Challenge to Democratic Development (2009); co-author, with Terry Lynn Karl of Stanford University, of the CRS report Bottom of the Barrel: Africa’s Oil Boom and the Poor (2003); and co-author of Chad’s Oil: Miracle or Mirage? (2005), co-authored with Nikki Reisch and issued by CRS and Bank Information Center.

Space is limited and RSVPs are required. Please RSVP by noon on Friday, April 23 to Katie Martorana .