Sahara champions deeper energy journalism in Ghana
Sahara Group has emphasised the need for journalists to provide deeper insights into the infrastructure, policies, companies and market forces shaping the energy sector to improve public understanding of current and emerging energy issues.
The call was made at Sahara Group’s Thought Leadership and Knowledge-Sharing Session for energy reporters in Ghana, themed “Beyond the Barrels: The Energy Story Behind the Story.”
The session focused on deepening journalists’ understanding of the petroleum value chain and equipping them with the knowledge to explain complex energy developments accurately and clearly to the public.
Speaking at the event, Bethel Obioma, Head of Corporate Communications, Sahara Group, urged journalists to adopt a systematic approach to energy reporting by establishing facts, identifying the relevant segments of the value chain and regulators, verifying figures and dates, and consulting credible sources.
He also stressed the importance of simplifying technical issues without compromising accuracy, while explaining the implications of energy developments for consumers, industry and energy security.
“Energy reporting must go beyond announcing production figures, pump-price adjustments, or new infrastructure. The real value lies in helping the public understand what the numbers mean, what drives them and how decisions across the value chain affect supply, affordability, investment, and everyday life,” Obioma said.
The session, held at the newly commissioned Asharami Ghana LPG Storage Facility in Tema, examined the petroleum value chain, from resource discovery and production to trading, refining, transportation, storage, marketing and retail.
Participants explored how decisions at different stages of the value chain could ultimately influence energy prices, supply availability and consumer experiences.
Michael Creg Afful, Executive Director of Energy News Africa Ltd., urged journalists to look beyond energy statistics and establish the context behind reported figures.
He noted that statistics became meaningful only when accompanied by clear dates, units of measurement, credible sources and relevant context.
Afful also encouraged reporters to distinguish between operators, partners, service companies and licence holders, while developing a better understanding of the respective responsibilities of upstream, midstream and downstream regulators.
He further emphasised the need for journalists to build credible networks of industry experts and verify technical claims before publication.
Similarly, Dr. Riverson Oppong, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies, Ghana, urged journalists to look beyond changes in pump prices and examine the international and domestic factors influencing the cost of energy products.
Oppong identified liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), electric vehicle charging, digital platforms, strategic partnerships and data analytics as emerging areas journalists should understand as traditional petroleum businesses adapt to changing energy demand.
He stressed that affordability must be considered alongside supply security, market discipline and readiness for the energy transition, noting that these factors would shape the competitiveness and sustainability of Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.
Obioma urged participating journalists to approach energy reporting with curiosity, accuracy and a commitment to continuous learning.
“Beyond the barrels means giving the public not only what happened, but the context, causes and implications behind it. Our responsibility as communicators and journalists is to make an increasingly complex energy industry understandable without sacrificing accuracy,” he said.
