The Board Chairman of the Ghana National Gas Company Limited, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has expressed his disappointment in the lack of development in the oil and gas enclaves of the Western Region.
According to him, the Western Region is a land rich in numerous natural resources including oil and gas.
He was therefore surprised that despite the rich resources in the region, the area is still lagging behind when it comes to development.
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong made the remarks at a durbar of chiefs to climax this year’s Kundum festival.
He took the opportunity to council chiefs within the region to push for development for their people when people come to invest in oil and gas projects.
“God has blessed you and all your lands are rich…even your seas are like gold, you are blessed with oil and gas but nothing in your community shows that oil and gas are extracted from here…I plead with the chiefs to seek a greater percentage of development share when next a project comes …looking at the nature of your buildings nothing shows that oil is extracted from here”, he said while addressing the gathering.
Citing the city of Houston in America, he buttressed his point that in other countries where oil is extracted, the regions which are oil-rich usually get a high level of development however, the same cannot be said in Ghana.
He therefore asked the chiefs and opinion leaders to engage companies willing to invest and not to hastily sign any agreements for projects in their area which would not inure to their benefit or leave them worse off.
“Nananom, anyone who comes knocking at your door with the aim of investing please don’t be in a haste to sign any contract law that in the end you would regret…let us also show them how intelligent we are…”
The Paramount Chief of Eastern Nzema Traditional Council Awulea Amihere Kpanyinli also addressing the gathering called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to speak and kick against all galamsey activities in the country which are destroying the environment.
He also called for unity which he said is the mission of celebrating the Kundum Festival.
