News:
June 2, 2022
Members of parliament around the Nzema area have called on the Ghana Gas Company Limited to address socioeconomic challenges of the people in their immediate environs before extending their assistance to other parts of the country.
The MPs including Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Ellembelle; Dorcas Affo-Toffey, Jomoro; and Kofi Arko Nokoe, Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira, at a press conference on Thursday addressed by Mr. Emmanuel Amah Kofi Buah expressed surprise that Ghana Gas has abandoned the needs of the people of its immediate areas of operations and is rather solving challenges of other areas.
Mr. Buah who admitted that Ghana Gas is national in nature and would at some point extend its corporate social responsibilities across the country said it is rather sad that instead of starting such assistant from their operational areas, they abandoned the people and are helping build edifices in other regions.
“As we speak we have hospitals there with a lot of challenges, and so you see Ghana Gas building, refurbishing hospitals in the Eastern Region, building schools in the Ashanti Region, which is okay; but we are advising Ghana Gas that we speaking as representatives of the people in the closest of the area they operate that they are not happy”.
He said the situation is building up agitation among the youth and the traditional leaders, a situation he said is not healthy for an important national asset as the Ghana Gas Company Limited.
According to the MPs it is important to note the sacrifices of the people of the Western Region especially the communities in the Nzema area and attend to their needs.
He said compensation has still not even been paid for the lands acquired; “but the communities there have been patient, but a lot of development in the last few years is really creating a lot of tension and concern in the communities in the area, especially in the six districts of the Western region.”
“The reason this is important, I want to be very clear, Ghana National Gas Company is national in nature and so it is important that their reach in terms of corporate social responsibility would be reflected across the country, by all means it is very important. But I think that their focus on places must start from home; their immediate areas of operation.
“As we speak in the last few years, Ghana Gas is spreading its tentacles across Ashanti Region, Eastern Region and all sorts of places except for the areas that it operates – the Nzema area.
They should focus first in addressing some of the concerns that have been put forward by the chiefs and people constantly on daily basis whether is on education, health care, hospitals, because “it is very disheartening when I come from Atuabo, or Anokyi and I know that God forbids if anything happens tomorrow morning, I would be the first to be affected, I know the sacrifices I have gone through with my farm lands to Ghana Gas, to read on daily basis Ghana Gas is building hospital bungalows somewhere else and my hospital has nothing”.
Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira MP, Kofi Arko Nokoe in adding his voice said though his area hosts the longest stretch of the pipeline, he cannot pinpoint one project by Ghana Gas in the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Constituency.
He appeals to Ghana Gas to evenly distribute the projects bearing in minds where they operate.
Dominic Shirimri/Ghanamps.com