Good morning to you all. I deem it a great honour to be here this morning to launch the Ghana - EITI Audit Reports for 2006, 2007 and 2008.  As some of you may know the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a governance tool that seeks to promote the principles of transparency and accountability in the payment and receipts of resources from the extractive sector.

This is achieved by the regular publication, reconciliation and audit of all material benefits received by government from individual companies in the sectors.