The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has urged African leaders to assume the lead role in championing transparency in the extractive industries in their respective countries.
Speaking at a recent Africa oil governance summit in Accra, ACEP’s Executive Director Dr. Ben Boakye noted the continent over the years had enjoyed support from its international partners to achieve significant levels of transparency from resource governance which “we must be grateful.”
However, he added, the recent retreat of the United States on the section 1504 of the Dodd Frank Act and the subsequent withdrawal from the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) this year, signal that Africa must champion its own transparency course.
He said feedback from the past two summits and further engagements with stakeholders have called for the need to broaden the scope of the summit to cover resource governance in general.
He further indicated that next year the Africa oil governance summit will be transitioned to Africa resource governance summit.
“This is because, this has become even more important given the unique development trajectory the continent finds itself now. The world presents Africa with much opportunities in the emerging global transition to renewal energy,” he said.
Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM
