Ghana: Oil and gas industry plans training programme

The management of New Alpha Refinery-Ghana plans to establish a training programme for the oil and gas industry. The South Africa-based company is currently undertaking feasibility studies to establish a tank farm and second refinery in Ghana, to be located in the Western Region.

Executive Chairman Merlyn Julie told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that the training should lead to “jobs for about 4,800 to 5,000 people.” He said the company is in discussions with the Ministry of Energy and other stakeholders to use the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) as a training base.

The New Alpha project will more than quadruple the 45,000 b/d output of TOR and will supply neighbouring countries with refined products including gasoline and jet-fuel. “Ghana's ability to export refined products to neighbouring countries will be a strategic economic venture,” he said.

For more news and expert analysis about Ghana, please see Ghana Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates

Obama to inform Congress of Libyan US mission cost

The US House of Representatives voted by 268 to 145 votes in favour of a resolution sponsored by the Republican House Speaker John Boehner which called for Obama to inform Congress within the next two weeks of the scope, duration and costs of the US mission in Libya. The House did, however, reject a resolution calling for an end to US participation in Libya in 15 days.

While American lawmakers and military strategists argue over the importance of US participation in NATO operations in Libya, Washington is continuing to engage with the international community on the issue. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has confirmed that she will be travelling to the UAE for the 9th June meeting of the Libyan Contact Group.

It is also understood that the US has involved itself in the well-publicised case of Eman al-Obeidi who, in March this year, in front of international journalists, accused pro-Qadhafi forces of rape. According to her family, the US has assisted the UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR) in her travel from Benghazi to the US. The US State Department has confirmed that it has been monitoring the case, particularly after Al-Obeidi was reportedly expelled from Qatar and returned to Libya.

or more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates

Brazil: President Rousseff's chief of staff resigns

President Dilma Rousseff's Chief of Staff Antonio Palocci has resigned over corruption allegations and the controversy surrounding his massive personal fortune. Palocci's resignation followed reports in the Brazilian media, saying his personal wealth had increased twentyfold over the course of the last four years. The former chief of staff has denied all allegations.

The scandal - which commenced almost three weeks ago when the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper reported Palocci's net worth - is a big blow to Rousseff, who took-up office only six months ago.

Before resigning from his post Palocci said the attorney general had confirmed "the legality and rectitude" of his conduct, but that the continuing "thrashing" the government was receiving over this issue could harm Rousseff and her administration.

Upon news of Palocci's resignation, Rousseff thanked Palocci for his “valuable” work and said she regretted his departure. This is the second time Palocci has resigned from public office. In 2006, he stepped down from his post as finance minister over similar corruption allegations. He was later cleared.

Sources: BBC News, Bernama, Reuters

or more news and expert analysis about Brazil, please see Brazil Focus.

Boko Haram suspected to be behind bomb blasts

Reports have emerged that at least 10 people have been killed in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri when a number of police stations were attacked by suspected Boko Haram militants.

Police Commissioner Mohammed Abubakar said Boko Haram members detonated bombs at two police stations, Gwange Police Divisional Headquaters and that of Dandal, and St. Patrick's Church. He said 10 people died in the explosions, including three suspected members of the group and a soldier.

The attacks come just a day after a prominent Muslim cleric, Ibrahim Birkuti, was shot dead by a suspected Boko Haram gunman on a motorcycle. Birkuti had previously openly criticised the Islamic group for killing dozens of security agents and politicians in recent months near the city of Maiduguri.

It is believed that the explosions occurred shortly after Governor Hashim Shettima addressed the House of Assembly and visited the Musa Usman state secretariat, near St Patrick's Church.

Last week, Boko Haram told the BBC it had carried out a series of bombings after President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration. The group's spokesman said Boko Haram was also responsible for killing the brother of one of Nigeria's most important Islamic leaders.

Sources: BBC News, The National Newspaper, Daily Independent

For more news and expert analysis about Nigeria, please see Nigeria Focus and Nigeria Politics & Security.

Hess discovery offshore Ghana

Hess has found oil and gas at its Paradise-1 exploration well offshore Ghana. The well is located at the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points (DTCTP) license. Speaking about the new discovery, the company said it had “encountered an estimated 490 net feet of oil and gas condensate pay over three separate intervals.”

In April, when Hess disclosed interim results for the discovery, the company said it had found 370 net feet of hydrocarbon-laden sands. The well was drilled to a total depth of 16,436 feet in a water depth of 6,038 feet.

Hess is going to co-operate with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and the government to plan future appraisal drilling. Hess owns 90 per cent of the Paradise prospect, the remaining 10 per cent belongs to GNPC.

Sources: Ghana Business News, Reuters, Market Watch

For more news and expert analysis about Ghana, please see Ghana Politics & Security.

Nigeria: Muslim cleric killed by suspected Boko Haram gunman

A prominent Muslim cleric has been shot dead by a suspected Boko Haram militant. Ibrahim Birkuti was shot in north-eastern Nigeria by a gunman on a motorcycle. The cleric had previously openly criticised the Islamic group for killing dozens of security agents and politicians near the city of Maiduguri.

Birkuti was killed outside his house in the town of Biu, 200km south of Maiduguri, where the group has carried out most of its attacks in recent months. Birkuti's neighbour Babagana Hanafi told AFP news agency, that a “gunman riding a motorcycle stopped outside the house and brought out a gun from under his shirt and shot him twice at close range before fleeing”.

Last week, Boko Haram told the BBC it had carried out a series of bombings after President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration. The group's spokesman said Boko Haram was also responsible for killing the brother of one of Nigeria's most important Islamic leaders.

Sources: BBC News, AFP, People's Daily Online

For more news and expert analysis about Nigeria, please see Nigeria Focus and Nigeria Politics & Security.

Yemen: Saleh retires, hurt, to Saudi Arabia, perhaps never to return

President Ali Abdullah Saleh is in Saudi Arabia for treatment for wounds sustained when either a rocket or shell struck a mosque inside the presidential compound on 3rd June. Several senior people with him were severely injured including Ali al-Mujawwar, the prime minister, two of his deputies, Rashad al-Alimi and Sadiq Amin Abu Ras, head of the Shoura Council (upper house of parliament) Abd al-Aziz Abd al-Ghani and the speaker of the lower house, Yahya al-Rai. Thirty-five members of Saleh's family are in Riyadh with him but they do not include his son Ahmad, the commander of the Republican Guard and Special Forces, or his nephews, Ammar, Yahya and Tariq.

The attack took place soon after shelling of the compound of Shaikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, the head of the Al-Hashid tribal confederation, and came after nearly a week of fighting in Sana'a between the Republican Guard and other forces commanded by Saleh's sons and nephews and tribal militia loyal to Sadiq. Saleh's spokesmen have accused the Al-Ahmar of trying to assassinate the president. They have denied this. There is much speculation about who was responsible for the attack but the Al-Ahmar remain the main suspects. There was an attack on Hamid al-Ahmar's compound later in the day by Republican Guards.

The president's supporters at first described his injuries as minor and promised a television address later in the day. Saleh spoke briefly much later. There were no pictures and he sounded very weary. Vice president Abd al-Rab Mansour Hadi is acting head of state, ostensibly until the return of the president. The acting minister of information said that, “The state has its institutions that can deal with these kinds of circumstances and constitutional procedures will be followed.” Others from Saleh's entourage have said he will return after treatment. There is still uncertainty about the seriousness of his wounds. They are not life-threatening but some reports say it will take him weeks to recover. It is, however, far from certain that he will ever return to Yemen.

For more news and expert analysis about Yemen, please see Yemen Focus.

© 2011 Menas Associates