State Institutions Must Show Interest in Jumbo-Find

Mr Henry Ametepe, caretaker Volta Regional Minister on Sunday insisted that state institutions with mandate to deal with the country’s natural assets, especially those that border on underground and extractive resources, should be interested in the development at Jumbo, near Kpassa, where digging of a well has uncovered some oil-like substance oozing from the belly of the earth.

He referred to the Geological Survey Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and other research institutions to complement the efforts of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and widen the scope of investigations into the find.

Mr Ametepe, who paid a fact-finding visit to the site, said public apprehension and expectation about the discovery was skyrocketing and only expert explanations would allay the nervousness of the people.

He called for engineering auditing of all boreholes in the area to see whether it would provide some links.

Mr Paul Levin Gyato, Nkwanta North District Chief Executive, adding a historical background to the debate told the Ghana News Agency that Messrs Kassandjan undertook some development works in the area including road construction in the early 1960’s, whose underground fuel tank could be the source of leak underground.

He said the Chinese firm, Jianzhi Construction, which is about 400 metres away had not had any leakages from their fuel dump too.

GNA has learnt from personnel of the National Security at the site that the yield continues to increase since the discovery on Friday.

Meanwhile, officials of the GNPC have collected samples for analysis and advised the people to keep away from the substance as it is likely to contain complex levels of hydrocarbons, which could be injurious to human health.