Parliament to pass petroleum revenue bill

Parliament is preparing to pass the petroleum revenue management bill after wrangling over key issues delayed its passage late last year. Parliamentary spokesman Jones Kugblenu said on 9th February that the House is “working towards passing the bill on Friday (11th February),” adding that work could be extended into the following week. “They have gone over all the controversial issues now”, he said.

Majority Leader Cletus Avoka said that Parliament would pass the bill before 17th February, when President John Atta Mills is scheduled to address the House.

However, Ghana's Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Henry Ford Kamel told a 9th February mining meeting in South Africa that he hoped the bill would be passed “by July”.

The government had hoped to pass the bill before first oil production started on 15th December.

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