Chief Speaks on Militia in Oil Region

The Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Annor Adjaye
III has denied the presence of a militia group in the western region, posing a
threat to the production of oil and related activities of the country.
Responding to questions on the existence of a militia with the potential of
causing agitation and threatening the development and production of oil from the
Tano Fields of the country, Awulae Annor Adjaye said he was rather aware of
ex-soldiers in the region having come together to form an association to promote
their welfare.
According to the Chief, contrary to any suggestions of causing trouble, the
ex-soldiers were determined and ready to offer their services as security
personnel to protect the many vital installations that were being set up as a
result of the oil production and related activities.
He said he had personally facilitated the employment of some of these persons
and he was still meeting them to help them realize their objectives of
contributing to the country’s development.
The chief, who was speaking to Accra-based Radio Gold, disclosed also that the
person who was instigating the people against earlier efforts by the Ghana
National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and Volta River Authority (VRA) to acquire
land for a gas development and power plant site was the leader of a
non-governmental organization (NGO).
Insisting that he was withholding the name of the leader of the NGO, he said the
leader had organized the youth of the Nzema area, under the pretext of unveiling
to them opportunities that the oil discovery brings, only to instigate them
against what was clearly to be efforts towards laying the foundation for the
industrialization of the region and the country as a whole.
Commercial production from the Jubilee Field, estimated to have over 1.6-billion
barrels of oil reserve commences in November-December this year, and the
associated gas is expected to be processed in the region.
Some landowners in the areas identified for siting the gas processing and power
plants, raised protests during the demarcation process against what they said
were attempts to acquire their lands by GNPC without compensation.
But Awulae Annor Adjaye III, at a durbar with his divisional chiefs and elders
of the affected communities assured the people that proper consultations had
been made by the companies involved and that it was only after the land
demarcation had been completed that owners could be properly identified and
compensation paid to them.

He said the region was ready to support the take-off of the projects to enable
the region become the industrial hub of West Africa.
The four main settlements around the gas enclave are Bonyere, Ndumsuazo,
Kabenlasuazo(Old and New) and Egbazo, with Takintalying northwest of the
enclave. The hamlet within the enclave is Bokakole, whilst the adjoining Lagoon
to the area is called Domunli.
A 230-Megawatt VRA Power Plant, which is currently lying idle at Kpone, is to be
relocated to the identified gas processing area to be fired by gas from the
Jubilee Field.

The durbar was held when officials of GNPC and VRA, together with the District
Chief Executive for Jomoro District, led by the Deputy Minister for Energy in
charge of Petroleum, Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah called on the traditional
council to discuss the project. The Business Analyst