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Even before Ghana commences drilling oil, the controversies preceding the epoch-making activity are making worrying rounds. The inconsistencies are a mouthful and feels like choking observers of the burgeoning oil industry. Last week in particular was awash with stories about the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) being on course to acquiring the Kosmos Energy stake in the Jubilee Oilfields. All that remains, according to them, has to do with data confidentiality and licensing breaches on the part of Kosmos Ghana, which the GNPC have said must be resolved first. Amazingly, GNPC claims that they have completed valuing the assets, and drafting the necessary paperwork has not attracted a yes or no response from Kosmos. A source at the place has however indicated that no such negotiations have taken place. So why would the GNPC and the Ministry of Energy have us all believe that they are on the verge of acquiring the Kosmos stake? What has changed and what happens to the exclusive binding agreement Kosmos signed with ExxonMobil? It appears that the vexed matter of the Kosmos stake will play out for some time to come. This however seems to be what GNPC wants. Why else would they require the data issues to be addressed as a condition to proceeding? Why are they delaying? To find the money or to wait in the hope or belief that ExxonMobil will go away? Government spends money-wooing investors to the country, arguably however, we do not make the biggest and best oil company in the world welcome on our shores. As things start, GNPC is bent on acquiring the stake the stake at all costs even if that means treating the company with contempt and shabbily. Ghana could do with a company like Kosmos who came here when others shunned the place, promised to find oil and delivered. Analysts conversant with offshore Ghana maintain that there is more oil to be discovered that starting off on such a discordant note is senseless. Countries which have partnered with foreign companies with the expertise have benefited from the linkage. The controversies surrounding our oil find do not bode well for the future and all Ghanaians must ask relevant questions. GNPC�s behaviour as though the law gives them a pre-emptive or exclusive right to acquire the stake is wrong and ill-advised. GNPC is behaving as though it is the one with something to sell when the entity with something to sell is rather Kosmos. Surely, this is not sending positive signals to foreign investors who seek to pitch camp here. Kosmos Energy, in line with its business plan of focusing on exploration, finding oil, selling its stake to a competent and capable party and moving on to find more oil, initiated a competitive bidding process to realize the best possible value for its stake in Jubilee as it has the right to do. GNPC disrupted that open, transparent and competitive process, using the data issues as an excuse. Having stopped all others, GNPC went ahead to state their interest in buying the stake themselves. Despite an earlier opportunity given them, they have to date not made an offer. Nobody is faulting GNPC for attempting to buy more of a stake in Jubilee but the approach it is adopting towards that end leaves much to be desired. There is so much more to do, especially on a billion-barrel field in 6000 feet in water. We shall return tomorrow.