The Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Mahama Abukari II, is confident that GNPC Explorco will strike oil in commercial quantities as it commences the next phase of exploration activities in the Voltaian Basin.

The Voltaian Basin covers about 460 communities in 13 metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs), 10 in the Northern Region and three in the Savanna Region.

President Mahama recently announced at the Africa Oil Week event in Accra that GNPC and Explorco are moving closer to drilling two exploration wells by the end of the third quarter of 2026.

GNPC targets drilling in Voltain Basin in 2026 – Petroleum Commission

According to Yaa Naa Mahama Abukari II, the attempt to uncover hydrocarbons in commercial quantities in Northern Ghana will become a reality and serve as a game-changer, especially for people in the North.

“You come to us at a time when Ghana's energy future is being shaped, and the possibility that our northern lands might contribute to the nation’s petroleum resources is both exciting and significant,” he noted.

The Dagbon overlord added, “For generations, our region has been blessed with agricultural abundance and rich cultural heritage. The prospect that we might also be blessed with oil reserves underground adds a new chapter to our story of resource endowment.”

Addressing the board and management of Explorco, who paid a courtesy call on him at the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi, the Yaa Naa pledged to provide the team with all the support needed in their next exploration phase, just as he did in their earlier activities, to make the dream of turning the Northern Region into a petroleum hub a reality.

“Today, as you prepare to embark on more extensive drilling activities to assess the viability of oil wells in our region, you have our continued blessings and full support,” he said.

The visit was also to introduce the board and management of Explorco to the King and to announce that Explorco is now leading exploration activities under the Voltaian Basin Project.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of GNPC, Explorco operates with growing technical capacity, fiscal discipline, and a vision to drive the nation’s upstream petroleum ambitions by leveraging exploration and production expertise.

The Explorco delegation, led by Board Chairman Dr Aaron Issa Anafure, confirmed President Mahama’s announcement about drilling two exploratory wells by the end of the third quarter of 2026.

He assured the King that the board is determined to make it happen.

“This is a new Explorco, and we want to assure you that our second coming is to reset Explorco. It will not be like before. This is a very serious mission,” the board chairman asserted.

Dr Anafure assured the Yaa Naa, on behalf of the board, management, and staff of Explorco, that everything possible will be done to fulfill the company’s mandate to lead exploration and production in the Voltaian Basin.

He emphasised that a solid partnership with the Dagbon Kingdom and the people of the Northern Region is crucial at this stage to successfully discover hydrocarbons in commercial quantities.

Dr Anafure further stated, “The facelift in terms of development that the Northern Region will witness is the reason all hands must be on deck, under a peaceful atmosphere, to offer Explorco the support needed to make history.”

He also noted that if Explorco is successful in discovering oil, rural-urban migration from the Northern Region will significantly reduce due to the many employment opportunities that will be created.

“This is a new Explorco and, Your Majesty, we really mean business,” Dr. Anafure added.

The delegation, which included Managing Director Samuel Opoku Arthur, also updated the Yaa Naa on the next phase of their campaign to discover hydrocarbons in commercial quantities.

Other members of the delegation included board members Benjamin Narteh Ayiku and Madam Stella Bondzie, as well as Deputy Managing Director (Technical), Iddris Abukari Abdul-Mumin.

SP/MA

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