The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has stepped up the search for more oilfields as it begins work on the Volta Basin Project.
The project seeks to confirm the presence of petrochemicals in the Voltaian Basin that stretches across Volta, Northern, Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and Eastern regions.
[contextly_sidebar id=”jSVzA4R4JCkIv20sfEumkv28nIICVwPj”]It is being jointly spearheaded by the GNPC and the Petroleum Ministry.
A stakeholders’ meeting to sensitise the chiefs in the Asante-Akim North District and collate their views ahead of the preliminary seismic work has been held at Agogo.
Ananekrom, a farming community near Agogo, is one of the 66 communities in 24 districts, where the seismic line passes and therefore the need to engage the people.
The Environmental Engineer of the GNPC, Seth Foli, said the project will take off in March 2016 and would be carried out with two years.
Previous works done by the Geological Survey Department, British Geological Survey, Water Resources Institute and other researches pointed to a potential discovery of oil in the basin.
He said mitigation measures had been put in place to control the impact on the people, land, crops and the ecosystem, adding that, a committee will be set up to ensure that those affected by the activity are adequately compensated.
He gave the assurance that GNPC will do everything possible to collaborate with relevant state agencies to uphold best international practices.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Peter Anarfi, welcomed the project and said it was in the nation’s best interest.
He underlined the need for the country to focus on onshore oil and gas exploration and urged the people to cooperate with the GNPC.
Source: GNA