Akufo-Addo to break ground for Forward Operating Base in Jomoro - Dep. Defence Minister assures

Deputy Minister for Defence, Major Derrick Oduro (Rtd) has assured that President Akufo-Addo will by the end of 2019 cut sod for commencement of the much-awaited Forward Operating Base (FOB) for the protection of the country's oil resources at Ezinlibo in Jomoro Municipality of Western Region.

The project is expected to cost the country 200 million dollars.

The move follows Ghana’s historic victory over neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire in 2017 at the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Germany, during a three-year maritime boundary dispute.

Forward Operating Base (FOB) is any secured forward operational level military position commonly used as a military base to support strategic goals and tactical objectives.

The Chiefs and people of Ezinlibo and its surrounding communities have therefore released a vast land to Ghana Government to start the project.

Handing over the site plan to the Chief of Ezinlibo, the Deputy Minister for Defence, Major Derrick Oduro said President Akufo-Addo was ready to break ground for the project to commence when the contractors finished with clearing of the land.

He charged the contractors to speed up with clearing of the land and allow President Akufo-Addo to cut the sod before 2020 begins.

He disclosed that the project was going to change the face of Ezinlibo and its surrounding communities.

He said it would create employment for the unemployed youth in the area.

He, therefore seized the opportunity to urge the contractors to give major part of the artisan work and labour activities to locals.

He also called on the people to cooperate with the contractors to execute the project based on the scheduled.

On his part, the Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Hon. Paul Essien applauded President Akufo-Addo for thinking about the good people of the area through the establishment of the project.

He said the project was going to be a game changer, adding that it was going to create job opportunities for his people.

He disclosed that aside the Forward Operating Base (FOB), the government has planned to establish five petrol chemical industries, two harbours, fertilizer plant among others, all within the Jomoro oil enclave.

The MP who is also the Deputy Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs appealed to the people in the area to support the contractors assigned to the project, do a good job.

In addition, he appealed to them to assist Government with maximum cooperation as stakeholders execute the project to benefit the country.

He used the occasion to commend the former Chief of Defence Staff under President Atta Mills, who is also the son of Ezinlibo, General Peter Augustine Blay, for an enviable role played in the realization of the project.

On his part, the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Peter Augustine Blay, expressed satisfaction in the manner stakeholders have handled the project.

To this end, he charged his people to remain resolute as Government seriously work to construct the much-awaited Forward Operating Base.

He said any major project of that magnitude will take time before being executed, especially when it comes to preparation and planning.

He explained the meaning of Forward Operating Base to the gathering, indicating that it stood for the three Armed Forces thus Navy, Air Forces and Infantry (Army) coming together to work for a common goal.

He said "Here is going to develop so women here should start multiplying so that Armed Forces can take advantage".

The former Chief of Defence Staff, charged the people to rally behind the contractors and the military to construct the project based on the scheduled timeframe.

He also charged them to live in peace with the contractors.

He pledged his commitment to provide any assistance to make sure the project was executed expeditiously to benefit the country especially Jomoro residents.

The Chief of Ezinlibo, Nana Kolera Blay IV said signs that he has picked indicate that the project would see the light of day.

He disclosed that the plan for the project started ten years ago, adding that he thanked President Akufo-Addo for thinking about them as government demonstrates commitment to execute the project.

The excited Chief said he wished the President would come to his community the next day to cut the sod for the project to commence.

He said they were more than ready to support the contractors to execute this task.

He appealed to President Akufo-Addo to come to the community to perform the sod cutting ceremony before 2020.

He added that the President should use the sod cutting program as the Christmas gift for the community.

Nana Kolera Blay IV seized an opportunity to plead with the contractors to employ more youth in the area when the actual construction work starts.

He also urged government to consider some of the youth to be recruited into the military to also work at the Forward Operating Base in future.

He assured Government that the land for the project was not under any paramountcy but rather under the Western Nzema Traditional Council and therefore encouraged the Government to use the land for the project without fear or panic.

Speaking to the Executive Director of Amandi, Dror Tahar assured that they were going to expedite action on the land preparation to pave way for President Akufo-Addo to cut the sod for the project.

He said they were going to work in the line of the Local Content Policy of Ghana and give 98 per cent of the construction work to the locals.

He, therefore called on the residents to support them to execute the project to benefit them and the country at large.

The Deputy Defence Minister and his entourage received warm reception by the community.

The 200-million-dollar project is being executed by Amandi and Vullos.

The Deputy Minister for Defence was accompanied by some senior officers of Ghana Navy, some MPs who are members on the Defence Committee of Parliament, NDC MP for Salaga North, Hon. Mumuni Alhassan and NPP MP for Sissala East, Hon. Dauda Abass Ridwan, the NPP Western Regional Chairman, Mr Francis Ndede Siah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Jomoro Municipality, Hon. Ernest Kofie, some Constituency Executives of NPP in the area led by its Chairman, Simon Amoah, the media among others.