The attention of former Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has been drawn to a post on X by Honorary Vice President of Policy Think-tank, Imani-Africa, Mr. Bright Simons on the new government’s decision to withdraw a unitisation directive between Springfield Exploration and Production Limited (Springfield) and Eni Ghana Exploration and Production Limited (ENI) in relation to the Afina-1X Discovery and the Sankofa Cenomanian Oil Field.

In the said post, which has also been given prominence in a GhanaWeb publication of 27th February, 2025, Mr. Simons makes a direct reference to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh as the then Energy Minister who issued the Unitisation Directive.

In the withdrawal letter signed by current Energy Minister, Hon. John Jinapor, all the unitisation directive letters he referred to were in the year 2020 when Dr. Prempeh was Education Minister.
In fact, Dr. Prempeh assumed office as Energy Minister on 7th March, 2021.

Just a careful reading of even the withdrawal letter and recollection of historical facts could have saved Mr. Simons from this avoidable statement of error: “The new government of Ghana has decided to save the country from further embarrassment by withdrawing a bizarre order issued by the former Energy Minister & Vice-Presidential Candidate of the former ruling party, NPP”.

It is Dr. Prempeh’s considered view that, opinions may be expressed on decisions by the new government on any matter but same must be done with accuracy, circumspection and decorum.

As a sign of courtesy and good faith, it is thus demanded, that Mr. Simons retracts and apologises to Dr. Prempeh for this wrongful attribution, as same is untrue.

ENDS