PETROLEUM COMMISSION GHANA

RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION PERMIT GUIDELINES FOR UPSTREAM

PETROLEUM SERVICE COMPANIES

The following Guidelines present the recommended procedure and assistance on how

to fulfill the obligations required in renewing a Registration Permit.

COMPLETING THE FORM

Duly filled application forms and related documents should be comb bound and

submitted in triplicate. The application should be numbered and arranged in the

following order:

1. COVER LETTER

2. CHECKLIST: This should be the first page of the application package and should

serve as the table of content for the application package. Note that the paging

of the entire document must correspond with the “page” column of the

checklist used. Where forwarded documents appear, they should be indicated

therein accordingly.

3. APPLICATION FORM

4. THE DOCUMENTS:

I. Cover Letter - Applicant

II. Audited Financial Reports & Letter from Auditors indicating upstream

petroleum revenue for the past year - Applicant

III. Valid Tax Clearance Certificate - GRA/IRS

IV. Valid SSNIT Clearance Certificate - SSNIT

V. Copy of Expiring/Expired Permit - Applicant

5. CERTIFICATION BY PROFESSIONAL BODIES – In the case where services are

rendered by professionals or licensed/certified practitioners, applicants are

required to attach certificates of membership of the Company or relevant

documents that govern or control such operations in Ghana. E.g. EPA Permit, NPA

Licence, Air Operator Certificate, Aviation Licence, FDA Hygiene Certificate.

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS NOT PROPERLY PUT TOGETHER WILL BE REJECTED AND

THIS MAY CAUSE DELAYS.

PETROLEUM COMMISSION GHANA

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. All communications to the Petroleum Commission must be on the applicant

company’s official letter head and addressed to the CEO of the Commission.

2. Application for the registration must be made by the corporate head of the

company or an authorized representative.

3. All applicants would be restricted to one category. Applicants may then select at

most two (2) activities under a particular category in accordance with the

Commission’s Classification Of Upstream Petroleum Industry Companies list. The

classification of activities list is attached herewith.

4. Expiration Date of the Permit shall be at the anniversary of issuance.

5. An application shall be rendered void if forged or if it is detected that fake

documents have been submitted. Sanctions may apply in accordance with the

law.

6. Tax Clearance and SSNIT clearance certificates submitted with the application

must be valid at the time of submission.

7. The Commission will send renewal notices, via emails to companies at least two

months before their Registration Permits expire. However, the responsibility to

renew lies with the applicant/company.

8. All companies must submit their renewal application at least one month before

expiry of their current Permit. Upon fulfilling the requirements for registration, the

Commission will process the application and issue the Permit within three (3) weeks

of the date of receipt.

9. In accordance with Regulation 9 of the Petroleum Commission (Fees and

Charges) Regulations, 2015, L.I. 2221, all companies must submit their renewal

application at least one month before expiry of their current Permit.

10. Upon fulfilling the requirements for registration, the Commission will process the

application and if approved, may issue a Permit within six (6) weeks of receipt.

11. Failure to renew a permit in accordance with the law, to wit, one month before

the expiration date could result in the expiration of the Permit/Certificate. If this

occurs, the company in question that desires to continue operating in the

petroleum upstream sector must purchase a new application pack and begin the

registration process afresh.

INSPECTION

The Commission may conduct inspections/assessment of applicant’s facilities. Applicants

will be subjected to further evaluation and will be assessed for professional competencies

and capabilities. It may be necessary to inspect existing companies/businesses that have

applied for renewals from time to time. Applicants must have as a minimum, physical

presence in Ghana. Inspections may be without notice and without prejudice to existing

Permits.

GUIDE TO FILLING THE APPLICATION FORM

The application form must be duly completed, signed and dated. Each section of the

form is applicable to all unless otherwise stated. All documents should be properly paged

for ease of referencing and processing.

PART ONE - Corporate Structure and Services

Q. 5 - All addresses and telephone numbers must be correct and functional at the

time of submission. Any change should be promptly communicated to the Petroleum

Commission.

Q. 6 - Indicate any change in ownership structure and attach evidence of transfer of

shares.

Q. 7a. - Please list all persons who own shares in the company. Provide the nationalities

of shareholders, their addresses and the percentage of shares they hold in the company.

Q. 7b. - Beneficial Ownership- Where the shareholders in 7a are companies, please

provide a breakdown of the various companies and the individuals who own shares in

the listed companies.

Q. 8 - Names, nationalities and traceable location addresses of Executive Directors and

Senior Management Team must be indicated. Please do not indicate Non- Executive

Directors or Board Members who are not Executive Directors.

Q. 10 - Services which are selected from the Commission’s Classification Of Upstream

Petroleum Industry Companies list should be in line with the company’s registered nature

of business. The services selected will be printed on the company’s Permit.

Companies which require additional services will have to apply for another Permit in

order to carry out the services.

Companies with Permits to provide particular service(s) cannot have the services

changed until the expiry and renewal of their Permit.

PART TWO - Financial Capability and Technical Competency of Applicant

A. A licensed auditing firm in good standing must audit applicant’s financial

statements. If company has carried out contracts in both the upstream petroleum

sector and other sectors, please attach letter from Auditors indicating upstream

petroleum sector revenue for the year under audit.

PART THREE - Plans and Programmes

This section should report on work carried out in the past year and amounts spent in

relation to the following:

a. Organizational Development Program

The company’s strategy for organizational development/growth. The company’s

employment plan, indicating number of people employed.

b. Technology Transfer

The acquisition of skills and how technical knowledge, technologies, manufacturing

methods and facilities are handed over to workers, particularly locals for future use.

c. Training Programme

Activities for knowledge acquisition and improving capacity, performance and

competence of staff.

d. Social Development Programme

CSR/Social development programs.

PART FOUR - Health, Safety and Environment

This section assesses compliance with Health Safety and Environment regulations. Copies

of valid certificates, licenses and Permits from other regulatory bodies/agencies should

be attached.

PART FIVE - Local Content

This section assesses the extent of local content and local participation in the company’s

activities.

PART SIX – Miscellaneous

Any other relevant information which applicant wishes to offer or further proposal which

applicant seeks to make in relation to this application.

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF APPLICATION

The Commission would screen the application and where necessary, may carry out

site/facility inspections. All operations/operators offshore must indicate possession of

offshore safety Permits. Successful applicants will be issued with an invoice and required

to pay the appropriate fees.

Please note that companies whose applications include false or forged documents will

be disqualified, penalized and/or prosecuted.

PERMIT FEE

The Petroleum Commission (Fees and Charges) Regulations, 2015 (L.I. 2221) is attached.

Kindly note that the Permit fee must be paid by banker’s draft, payable in the name of

the Petroleum Commission, Ghana.

ISSUANCE OF PERMIT

1. Permits will only be issued by the Commission after the applicant has satisfactorily

met all the requirements and paid the appropriate fee.

2. Permits would be ready for collection five (5) working days after the appropriate

fees have been paid.

3. Permits can be picked up by an authorized representative with a valid company

or national ID (driver’s license, voter’s ID, passport, etc).

4. Expiration date of the Permit shall be at the anniversary of issuance.