USA is ready to kill for Ghana's oil - Pratt

The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper claims that there is a grand conspiracy by the United States of America to gain control of the country’s oil resource through the establishment of its Military base. He has also in same breath alleged that the New Patriotic Party is rooting for the American oil company KOSMOS, and asserts that the opposition party is more concerned with the crumps which will fall from the table of KOSMOS/Exxon Mobil and the US State Dept deal than the interest of Ghana.

Mr. Kwesi Pratt contends that the NPP and other groups are in support of KOSMOS’ decision not to sell off its stake in the Jubilee field to a Ghanaian company.

According to him, despite repeated assurances from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) that it is interesting in buying the 23% stake of KOSMOS’ share in the Jubilee field; it is obdurate in selling rather to an America company.

“KOSMOS itself says we want out, we want to sell. The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation says we want to buy it; KOSMOS says we’ll not sell to Ghana; we will only sell to another American company. The whole of the US establishment is mounting monumental pressure on our government to cave in to US demands. Christian Council is quiet, Bar Association is quiet, and New Patriotic Party is supporting KOSMOS against Ghana. I mean this is incredible. You cannot believe it; it is incredible. KOSMOS has violated the laws of Ghana with impunity.”

Contributing to a panel discussion on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji political programme, Mr. Pratt alleged that in order to promote its interest, KOSMOS distributed free of charge to interested parties, seismic data that the country through the GNPC spent over 300m dollars in collecting

“This matter is raised and the very people who are making noise about the oil revenue, K.T. Hammond, New Patriotic Party, all these World Bank and IMF funded so-called NGOs are supporting KOSMOS in this against the people of Ghana; and they are the same people making noises about oil revenue. I mean it’s incredible,” he fumed.

The outspoken socialist further claimed that there is a grand conspiracy by the “Western powers, especially the United States of America to gain control over the country’s oil resource.” Citing the Dick Cheney Report on America’s Strategic Interest in West Africa Oil, Mr. Pratt, who called for vigilance on the part of Ghanaians since the US was ready to “kill and destroy” to seize Ghana’s oil by setting up its Military bases, also asked Ghanaians to ensure that the oil stays in the country for the benefit of everyone, ‘especially the disadvantaged’.

“…and don’t make a mistake, military bases are not established for the purpose of organizing picnics. Military bases are established for the purpose of killing and destroying not organizing picnics. So what the US is telling us is that, they are ready to kill, maim and destroy in order to control our resources…And our churches, our Bar association, our so-called elders in society are quibbling about whether we should put our money in the Bank or spend it. They are not thinking about how to take control of the resource. They are thinking about what to do with the crumps which will fall from the table of KOSMOS/Exxon Mobil and the State Dept in the USA….The first and most important thing…is to ensure that the oil belongs to us; we control it, and utilize it in the interest of our people, especially the disadvantaged,” he posited.