Deadline nears for oil and gas employers to submit succession plans

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the compliance reminder? Ghana’s Petroleum Commission is requesting that all companies in the oil and gas sector submit a succession, employment and training plan by Thursday, Feb. 28, as part of their 2019 local content documentation requirements.

• What does it mean? Companies should submit the required forms for employment, succession and training, as well as other relevant forms, if they have not already done so.
• Implementation time frame: Between now and Feb. 28.
• Who is affected: Oil and gas sector companies and employees.
• Business impact: Employers who fail to submit their employment, succession and training plan and other relevant forms by Feb. 28 are liable for monetary fines until they comply with the requirement.
• Next steps: The succession form requires such information as localization periods, foreign workers’ job descriptions and the names of local employees who take over job roles. The training plan requires a description of the budget, the identified skills and competence gaps to be filled and training sessions for local employees needing to match their skills with those of foreign nationals for job handovers. The recruitment and employment plan outlines the organization’s recruitment plans. Another form that provides an assessment of the progress of the training plan must also be submitted at the end of each calendar quarter. Employers may obtain these forms from their immigration providers.

Background: Ghanaian authorities continue to focus on protecting and developing the local workforce through rules that encourage companies to hire and train Ghanaians and adopt succession plans to transfer skills to local workers. Succession plans, which are documents outlining how the skills and duties performed by foreign employees will be transferred to local employees, have become prevalent in sub-Saharan African countries. They are used by employers alongside a training plan that gives local employees hands-on experience during the period when foreign nationals are performing the work.

Analysis & Comments: Employers should submit the forms by the end of the month to avoid noncompliance and monetary penalties.

Source: Deloitte LLP. Deloitte LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC303675 and its registered office at 1 New Street Square, London EC4A 3HQ, United Kingdom.