Be Wild Over Oil Money -Ghanaians told

Ghanaians have been called upon to be wide awake and monitor all activities with

respect to the oil production to prevent unscrupulous politicians from using the

oil revenue to advance their narrow material gains.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued by representatives of people from

the oil zone of Jomoro, Elembelle, Nzema East and Ahanta West districts at the

end of a two-day sensitization workshop organized by WACAM.

“Citizens should also be prepared to rise up and defend their rights fully when

they are faced with any form of violation from the oil companies using all

legitimate means available,” the group added.

The group also expressed its vehement opposition to the attempt to collateralize

the oil revenue and called on the entire nation to resist the move.

The communiqué called on government to conduct immediate epidemiological study

to gather data on the health status and common diseases in the frontline

communities, to enable the nation monitor emerging diseases that would be

introduced into the communities as a result of the oil production.

The group expressed deep concerns about the needless hype of expectations by

politicians and government officials that had sought to create the false

impression that “the start of oil production marks the beginning of solution to

all our socio-economic problems.”

While cautioning against the needless hype of expectations, the group appealed

to NGOs and CBOs to create the platform to educate the people on the realities

on the ground to avert over-reliance on the oil production.

Below is the full communiqué

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A TWO-DAY SENSITISATION WORKSHOP ON HUMAN

RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS AND MANAGING THE HIGH EXPECTATION OF PEOPLE WITHIN

THE OIL ZONE.

We the community people from the Oil Zone of Jomoro, Ellembele, Nzema East and

Ahanta West districts in the Western Region, at the end of a two-day

sensitization workshop organized by WACAM, hereby issue this communiqué

representing our collective position on the number of issues that came up for

discussion with respect to the oil production expected to commence on December

15, 2010.

· That we are deeply worried about the needless hype of the expectation

of the people by our politicians and government officials, creating the false

impression that the start of oil production marks the beginning of solution to

all our socio-economic problems. We therefore caution government and politicians

to desist from that practice since it is not in the interest of the nation,

especially the frontline communities. Consequently we want to appeal to NGOs and

CBOs to create the platform to educate the people on the realities on the ground

to avert over-reliance on the oil production.

· That we want to encourage the citizens, especially people in the

frontline communities, to concentrate on their current occupations that earn

them a living instead of putting all their hopes on expected job opportunities

from the oil sector which may not come eventually.

· That government should commit more attention and resources to the

development of other sectors of the economy, especially agriculture, whose

contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is higher than what is expected

from the oil sector. This should be tailored towards creating more jobs in the

agricultural sector with more emphasis on the fishery industry and making it

more attractive to the youth.

· That government should enact a law to provide for the setting up of a

fund to make Corporate Social Responsibility mandatory out of the corporate

profits of the oil companies to undertake alternative livelihood programmes for

communities whose sources of livelihood would be affected by the oil production.

Part of the fund should also be used for development project determined by the

frontline communities as Corporate Social Responsibility.

· That there should be Sub-Committees of the Public Interest and

Accountability Committee and the Investment Advisory Board in the frontline

communities to oversee the judicious use of the funds meant for community

development.

· That there should be equitable distribution of the oil revenue across

the country, and across all sectors of the economy, with special emphasis on the

frontline communities and agriculture.

· That the citizenry should be wide awake and monitor activities in the

oil sector to ensure that our politicians do not use the revenue to advance

their narrow material gains. Citizens should also be prepared to rise up and

defend their rights fully when they are faced with any form of violation from

the oil companies using all legitimate means available.

· That the entire nation should rise up and resist any attempt to alter

clause five (5) of the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill that does not allow

collateralisation of the oil revenue.

· That clause 50 to 54 in the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill should

be maintained to ensure transparency and accountability.

· That government should put in place effective security measures,

including a rapid response arrangement, to contain the expected increase in

crimes often associated with oil production before the nation is overtaken by

events.

· That community should insist on documentation of promises to serve as

a binding social contract between them and politicians who make promises to them

in return for electoral support.

· That government should conduct immediate epidemiological study to

gather data on the health status and common diseases in the frontline

communities to enable the nation monitor emerging diseases that will be

introduced into the communities as a result of the oil production.

· That the ballast water which contains toxic chemicals should be

treated before being discharged into the sea. We are even worried that even

though production has not started, there are signs that dangerous chemicals are

now present in the sea as fishermen witness it in their fishing activities.

· That government should employ measures to control sea traffic to offer

greater security for fishermen.

· That government should define and fence off with visible marks around

the rigg, zones that are restricted to fishing activities