Government must support districts along oil production area - NGOs

Government has been called upon to take a second look at supporting the six coastal districts along the Jubilee Oil Field, off Cape Three Points in the Western Region.

Madam Clara Osei-Boateng, Director of Programmes and Advocacy of SEND-GHANA, an NGO on promoting good governance said the issue must be tackled objectively and passionately rather emotional.

She explained that though the oil is drilled about 60 kilometers away from shore, it was impacting harshly on the socio-economic activities of the six coastline districts.

Madam Osei-Boateng made the call at a day’s workshop on local governance, organised by the Friends of the Nation (FON), a Takoradi based NGO on the environment, in collaboration with the SEND-GHANA for stakeholders from Takoradi, Tarkwa and Jomoro.

The FON and the SEND-GHANA were presenting their research findings on local governance to the stakeholders for discussions and recommendations on the best practices in ensuring transparency and accountability in the management and utilisation of resources for the provision of social services.

The findings of the research, which was conducted in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipality, Jomoro and Tolon Kumbungu, assessed the extent to which transparency, accountability and equity considerations play in the allocation of resources.

Madam Osei-Boateng said their findings revealed that the oil find has drawn a lot of people to the area thus putting pressure on infrastructure and social services, leading to the high cost of living and rent.

The findings also indicated that fish mongers have abandoned their traditional job because of the low catch for petty trading and farming.

Mr Solomon Kusi-Ampofo, Project Officer of the FON said the research showed that the electorate’s awareness to information was low and not abreast with events of the assembly.

Ahanta West, Jomoro, Shama, Ellembelle, Nzema East and Sekondi-Takoradi districts form the six coastal areas.