INSTEPR indicated that the local company contracted in January to retire the old rig, HANS & Co had stalled work on the decommissioning, which was expected to go through three phases.

A statement signed by the Executive Director of INSTEPR, Kwadwo Poku said the consortium only completed phase one of the decommissioning.

It said works on the decommissioning subsequently stalled after the appointment of a new acting Managing Director and the Board of Directors.

“The big question is why are the new acting Managing Director and the board of directors acting to frustrate the decommissioning of the Saltpond field? Our investigation has not yielded any concrete reasons yet.”

“There is one thing for certain, the cost of the project could quadruple if the posture of the Managing Director continues and possible multi-million-dollar judgement debt for breach of contract,” the statement said.

It asked the government to ensure that the old rig is decommissioned to avoid an environmental catastrophe.

“INSTEPR will want to advocate for the law wilfully causing financial loss to the state, to be applied when a person’s actions like what Mr. Opoku Danquah seems to be doing results in GNPC being sued and judgement debt incurred,” it added.