Two-day workshop on oil and gas opens

Takoradi, Aug 17, GNA - Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, has said some policy and project initiatives had been proposed by some organizations in the private and public sectors since the country's discovery of oil in commercial quantities.

This was contained in an address read for him at the opening of a two-day workshop on Ghana's Emerging Petroleum Industry for members of the Community, Environmental Monitoring and Advocacy Groups (CEMAG) at Takoradi on Monday.

The Friends of the Nation (FoN), Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment (KIT) and Skyy Media Group organized the workshop under the theme 93Zero Tolerance against Resource Curse in Ghana's Emerging Petroleum Industry: The Role of Coastal Communities".

Mr. Aidoo said the initiatives included proposals for the development of a modern city of 500,000 at Agona Nkwanta by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and a master planning work on new infrastructure for the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JACA).

He said there had also been proposals for oil refinery to be sited at Pumpuni and oil storage depot, gas plant on-shore in the Nzema East Municipality, Takoradi-Cote d'Ivoire border coastline Environmental Protection by Tullow Oil and advice on oil-related on-shore investment and planning by the Norwegian government.

Mr. Aidoo said if the oil and gas activities in the region are to have any positive impact, coastal communities in the country should have an input in whatever laws would regulate the industry to ensure a zero tolerance against resource curse.

He said there must be accountability to reduce abuse in resource utilization, increase stakeholder commitment to participation and partnership and build trust and confidence, particularly in the area of resource mobilization.

"Accountability will check corruption, increase visibility, image and friendliness of local authorities and institutions enhance empowerment of citizens particularly the vulnerable and marginalized and make public officials responsive to local needs and priorities", Mr. Aidoo said.

Mr. Kwabena Okyere-Darko, the Member of Parliament for Takoradi, said the region would continue to lag behind in development if provisions on the use of revenue from the oil and gas industry are not included in the proposed Petroleum Bill.

He said the bill in its present form would not benefit the region much because such provisions are not part of it.

Mr. Okyere-Darko said revenue from the region's vast resources is used to develop Accra, the country's capital city while host communities continue to linger in abject poverty.

Mr. Donkris Mevuta, Executive Director of FoN, said the workshop formed part of the efforts to sustain public education and sensitization activities on the oil and gas industry.

Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area, presided.