Towards an Accident Free Energy Regime in Ghana.

Abstract

This paper examines the legislative instruments governing the Ghanaian oil and gas industry with the view to identifying weaknesses that may compromise the health and safety standards and quality of life of the people. It reviews literature on the global and Ghana’s energy regimes within the framework of its economic benefits and the challenges posed to the environment, people, flora and fauna as a basis for analysing the current legislative and regulatory environment and the proposed future legislations. The study observed that developed economies such as the United States of America have not totally escaped the challenges of oil and gas exploitation in spite of its well established oil and gas legislative and regulatory environment. Against this backdrop, the paper reveals that Ghana’s current legislative and regulatory environment has little provision for issues of health and safety and the institutions are ill-resourced to prevent pollution. It thus made recommendations to enhance future legislations and demonstrates the importance of good legislative and regulatory environment in harnessing the benefits of oil and gas exploitation and reducing or eliminating its ills.