Oil Discovery Is No News To Us - Chief

The Chief of Cape Three Points in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, Nana Akye Kessie V, has stated that the much publicized discovery of oil in the town is not news to the community because this is not the first time that they have been informed about oil deposit in the area.

He said about twenty years ago, a Canadian oil company came to the village to inform them about the discovery of oil in the area after series of research. He therefore did not receive the recent announcement that Ghana has hit oil as news.

“Children in this village even knew long ago that we have an oil deposit here”, he said. Speaking to reporters at his palace on Tuesday, this week, Nana said after the government had announced in Accra that Ghana had discovered oil in the town, the Western Regional Minister, Mr. A.E. Amoah and his entourage also came to the town to officially inform him and his subjects.

He said though the Minister’s announcement was not news to him, he warmly received him and even poured libation to thank the gods for the gift. Nana Akye Kessie V, who is the longest serving Chief in the Ahanta Traditional Area having been enstooled over 44 years ago, said if the government was able to develop the field it would help the community and the nation as a whole. He appealed to the government to pay special attention to the bad nature of roads in the area to help with the development of the area, noting that ever since the announcement about the discovery was made, they have been receiving a lot of visitors and called for the rapid development of the road network.

Nana Akye also mentioned lack of health facilities, drinkable water, electricity and toilets as some of the other problems confronting the town.

According to him the authorities had already started negotiations with them for a possible re-settlement. He said he and his people would be prepared to move to the new location provided they have all the facilities.

Assemblyman for Cape Three Points, Mr. Joseph Kwame Quarshie in a separate interview also confirmed with the newsmen that indeed this was not the first time they have heard about oil discovery in the town and said the first discovery that was made could be traced at the Lighthouse archives belonging to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

On the development of the community, he said on 11th July, the Ahanta West District Assembly summoned five Assembly Members from Sankur, Chavini Akwadae, Ntaakrom –Arabankata and Cape Three Points itself and their Chiefs to discuss with them the construction of the main road leading to the town. This discussion he revealed, touched on possible relocation for some members of the community whose houses could be affected by the road construction and also a site where they could get gravel for the road construction.