The Ministry of Energy has launched an internal enquiry to establish if there was any collusion at the ministry in the matter in which the Minister’s signature was allegedly forged by a Canadian oil firm.

The firm, Gondwana Oil Corporation used the letter to lay claim over a piece of oil rich area off the coast of the Western Region.

The Economic and Organized Crimes Office has begun investigations into the matter.

It has also emerged that the oil firm, Gondwana Oil Corporation recently used the forged letter to support its listing on the Canadian Stock Exchange.

Its Ghanaian subsidiary, Miura Petroleum Limited is also reported to have made an estimated 1.5 million dollars using the forged letter as a basis to sell off majority stake in the oil rich area.

But Communications Consultant to the Energy Ministry, Edward Bawa told Joy News’ Evans Mensah the ministry has begun an internal enquiry.

Evans Mensah first asked him whether the Ministry had made any contact with the international oil firm.

Edward Bawa said they do not know the company involved.

According to him, the only level of discussion the ministry  had with the company is a letter written by the company applying for a license to operate the oil bloc in the Western Region and the Ministry's response to them that the bloc was not available.

That information contradicted the statement made by the president of Gondwana who said they are in discussion with the ministry over the controversy and that by close of day Wednesday, the issues would have been resolved.

But Bawa quickly retorted saying, "whatever they are saying is of no consequence to us.

"Our main issue is that there is a criminal aspect of it which we have referred to the state agencies to investigate."

He said the ministry is conducting an internal enquiry to ascertain whether there was any collusion by officials of the ministry.