The Flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress, Professor John Evans Atta-Mills has said President Kufuor should not take sole credit for the discovery of oil in the country.

Speaking to Joy News, Prof. Mills said the exploration started years before the NPP came to power.

He said he is happy Ghana has discovered oil but unhappy credit has not been given to former Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) boss, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, whom he said “initiated the process.”

“I think GNPC and Tsatsu must also be commended for their foresight. You know they constructed the Osagyefo Barge…they had extensive infrastructure development in anticipation, so their believe has really been vindicated. Now is there any justification for the government wanting to move the barge to Tema?”

“Nobody can claim that the area where they have found the oil is theirs. Nobody can claim that they grew the oil or planted it. It is God’s gift to all Ghanaians. And I am really saddened that the President was talking about people being ashamed, talking about his enemies…we are all happy that we have found oil,” he said.

Prof. Mills said Ghana should learn from other countries’ mistakes so that the usual social vices that characterize oil discoveries are not witnessed in Ghana.

“Oil discoveries in certain cases have not brought the anticipated blessings. In certain cases they have turned out to be curses, they have only succeeded in establishing a new group of thieves, robbers and raising corruption to higher levels. And then making sudden billionaires out of people…while the majority of Ghanaians…wallow in abject poverty,” he noted.