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Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), a civil society organization, has raised alarm over alleged fraudulent deals in the oil sector, accusing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of entering into shady deals. ISODEC has further accused government of carving out a 2 percent interest in a contract it entered into with AFREIN in a recent acreage assignment held in the name of one Joe Ofori, who has been �armed twisted by the Atta Mills administration to relinquish his interest to a third party because he is suspected to have sympathies for New Patriotic Party (NPP). �Ghanaians are being short-changed because the deal is shrouded in secrecy. This issue of I scratch your back you scratch my back must stop,� Dr. Steve Manteaw told a news conference in Accra on Friday. Government has so far entered into seven oil transactions, which are said to be smeared with corrupt practices. Dr. Manteaw, Coordinator, Economic Justice of ISODEC, revealed that the NDC administration was engaged in the same �offence� after it accused NPP of instigating and facilitating the acquisition of 3.5 percent stake in the Jubilee Oilfield held by Barwuah Adusei and George Owusu. ISODEC also slammed the Mills administration for allegedly taking $15million from Kosmos Energy as reparation for breaching data protocol and mud-pillage instead of its own announced amount of $25 million, accusing government of conspiring to shortchange Ghanaians. Recalling numerous assurances by President Mills and the Minister of Energy, Dr. Joe Oteng Adjei that Ghana�s oil resources would be governed by utmost transparency, honesty and integrity, ISODEC indicated it is unenthused with the promises, saying there are a plethora of cases that are not in the public domain but have become �creeping monsters threatening our oil resources.� �If we are not careful, we will be shortchanged by a political conspiracy in the country�s emerging oil sector,� he said. Dr. Manteaw stated that there should be social pact signed by all political parties to manage the oil revenue in a transparent, honest and accountable manner. On his part, Mohammed Amin Adam, Civil Society Coordinator for Oil and Gas platform, challenged government to publish all revenue accruing from the sale of oil and transactions in the oil sector in order to repose public confidence in the way the nation manages its natural resources. �As we speak now, we do not know how much Ghana is selling its oil. We may be selling the oil above or below the current market price. That is why we are asking the government to publish all crude oil transactions and sale,� Mr. Adam added. Dr. Manteaw also raised concerns about the oil contract of New York-based HESS Petroleum, in which HESS, under inexplicable circumstances, managed to obtain a lower royalty rate of four percent as against five percent granted the Jubilee partners. According to Dr. Manteaw, there are media reports that suggest the sale of EO Group�s 1.75 percent stake in Jubilee to Tullow Oil, indicating that government was exhibiting double standards, which showed lack of clarity in the deal. Government, Dr. Manteaw stated, appears divided on how to deal with the EO Group and whether or not to ratify the transaction. But ISODEC believes that once government approves the sale it would suggest that the EO Group legally acquired its 3.5 percent shares in the Jubilee Oilfield. The Mills administration preferred about 25 charges against the EO Group including �causing financial loss of several billions of dollars to the state, money laundering and conspiracy to forge official documents among others,� ISODEC stated that these are serious charges that cannot be swept under the carpet for whatsoever reasons and could not fathom why government accepted the alleged reparation rather than pursing justice. �Could it be, as some people argue that if government was able to drop all charges against Kosmos Energy (a foreign company) regarding the breach of data protocols, then why not do same for the EO Group, a local company,� ISODEC quizzed. Dr. Manteaw said �for the past two years, government has repeatedly assured Ghanaians of justice in the matter. �It is becoming clear that the government�s sudden change of mind on the prosecution of the EO Group has everything to do with political shielding, which runs contrary to the spirit of transparency and angelic honesty which have become the manta of the Mills administration,� he indicated.