A forum has been organized in Takoradi in the Western Region to commemorate the day commercial production of oil in Ghana begun.
The forum, held on December 15, was to share ideas on how to enable the region benefit from the oil find, four years after its discovery in the region.
[contextly_sidebar id=”JxxTUrYbUWhOEAksxl7uZBp8yAn92MOb”]The various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (DCEs) in the Western Region, the business community, civil society organizations and opinion leaders, attended the forum.
Stakeholders at the programme bemoaned the lack of policies on how the region will benefit from the oil and gas production in the region.
Speaking at the programme, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Shama, Enoch Kojo Appiah said the lack of clear cut policies on how the region wants to benefit from the oil booty was appalling hence calling for a strategic roadmap on how the region will want to benefit from oil booty.
“I have not chanced on any document that tells me that this is the direction with which western region wants to benefit from the oil and gas that we found. But if we are unable to come out with clear cut proposal in the area of jobs and training, we stand to lose,” he said.
Mr Appiah said he feels ashamed anytime he hears of an ongoing capacity-training workshop for the people in the area.
“What is the capacity building for when the fishing industry is suffering and there are no alternative livelihood programs for the fisher folks?” Mr. Appiah fumed.
The Industrial relations officer of the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union for the Western and Central Regions, Richard Hanson bemoaned the current impasse between MODEC and its workers.
“Four years down the line if you look at the issues at the labour front, strikes; it started from Weatherford, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, MODEC, African Oil Services, etc. These strikes are happening because as employees they felt cheated and attempts to join a union to drum home your concerns are faced with stiff opposition,” he lamented.
Mr Hanson observed that “If we do not take care, expatriates will assume works meant for locals.”
For his part, the Vice Chairman of the Sekondi Takoradi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Cadman Dadzie called for more investment in the oil sector.
–
By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana