A delegation from Explorco, the commercial subsidiary of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), held strategic engagements with the Overlord of Dagbon and key regulatory bodies in Tamale and Yendi this week, as the company prepares to drill its first exploration well in the Voltaian Basin.
Deputy Managing Director Abdul-Mumin Abukari Iddris led the Technical Division team on behalf of Managing Director Samuel Opoku Arthur. At the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi, the delegation briefed the court of Ndan Yaa Naa Abukari II on the accelerating progress of the Voltaian Basin Project and sought royal backing for land needed to establish a northern sector operational office.
Before the palace engagement, the Explorco team held working sessions with the Lands Commission and Minerals Commission in Tamale. Discussions centred on legal frameworks for securing drilling rig sites, base camp locations, and access roads, with a specific focus on minimising disruption to residents and surrounding farmlands during active operations.
Abukari Iddris confirmed that Explorco has assembled a dedicated project management team (PMT) to oversee the next campaign phase, marking the formal shift from preparatory studies to active field operations. He said the Northern Region should expect a significant increase in activity soon, including the deployment of additional personnel and heavy equipment ahead of the first well.
Paramount Chief of Zangbalinga, Zangbalun Lana Dr. Jacob Mahama, speaking on behalf of the Overlord, expressed royal confidence that Explorco would “hit oil in commercial quantities” in the basin. He said the Overlord pledged full support for the next phase of drilling, sharing the hope that the Northern Region would eventually emerge as a petroleum hub for Ghana.
Abukari Iddris described the Yendi engagement as central to Explorco’s broader local content and social performance objectives, noting that the company’s “Ghanaians-first” strategy remains a guiding principle as field operations intensify. Acting Regional Lands Officer for the Northern Region, Samuel Atta Gyarteng, assured the delegation of full institutional support.
The Voltaian Basin is Ghana’s flagship onshore frontier, spanning approximately one-third of the country’s landmass.
