*Professor Akpanglo Nartey the Vice Principal of Regent University of Science and Technology in Accra has said oil deposit next to be discovered in Ghana in a very large quantity is in Ada. He said in lieu of this all GaDangmes must ensure that good structures are put in place to entice Government and other foreign investors to carry out feasibility studies for a possible oil find along the coast line of Ada.*

Professor Akpanglo Nartey known by his Stool name as Nene Abbanam Akpanglo (II), chief of Ada Karbiawe Clan, the proprietor of Asidahey International School (Ada) and also a council member of the GaDangme Council disclosed this in an exclusive interview with this reporter in Ada over the weekend. He said divisiveness, property owning disputes, lack of trust and unity among most of the GaDangme chiefs especially in Ada has forced most developmental projects to be shifted from Ada and other parts of Dangme land to other parts of the country where sometimes those projects are not even needed.

Prof. Akpanglo stressed that the geographical location of Ada where the largest artificial lake in the world River Volta enters the sea which is bounded by numerous Islands may have large quantities of oil deposit. He said scientifically oil is formed out of fossil deposits and the estuary at Ada which has existed for so many years now would have been a very fertile ground for large oil deposits since generation. He therefore calls for immediate feasibility studies by the Government on the Ada Coastal belt stretching from Ada to Accra for what he termed will be the next but the largest Oil deposit that will ever be discovered in Ghana.

Prof. Akpanglo reiterated that the government of Ghana must do all it can to undertake this feasibility study since the oil find will not only benefit the GaDangme people but will help boost the entire country’s economy. He said the oil deposit which he believes was lying untapped along the Ada coastal belt if tapped can make Ghana rub shoulders with the rest of the world’s biggest oil producing countries.

He added that with the Ada Songor lagoon also located along the Ada coastal belt of Ghana very close to the Tema Oil Refinery should have been the preferred salt supply of salt for the processing of the crude oil. He noted with disgust that land ownership disputes and matters surrounding the Ada Songor Lagoon have made it difficult for institutions to patronize the Ada Songor salt. In relation to the Songor Lagoon he alleged that people go behind accepting bribes instead but failed to tackle serious issues affecting the Songor Lagoon. He also pointed out that other tribes who own the Songor Lagoon sees other tribes as not owners of the Lagoon making collective bargaining for the Songor Lagoon very difficult.

Prof. Akpanglo said with outmost feeling that he will not be surprised to see this feasibility study for oil been carried in the next Coastal belt closer to Ada if still traditional authorities within the GaDangme land will not come together to fight for a collective bargaining power. He therefore urged all the GaDangme people to come together to work towards the prospect of oil discovery in Ada.

In a related development, the District Chief Executive of Ada, Honorable Daniel Rexford Wussah has also confirmed in an interview sometime ago at Anyamam-Ada of a possible oil deposits in large quantities along the Volta basin, the Estuary and on the islands of Ada. He revealed that a Nigeria company undertook feasibility studies of a possible oil find in Ada but the report of their findings was not made known up to now, but was quick to add that he will be happy and will also be the greatest achievement for him if oil is discovered in large quantities at Ada during his tenure of office as the District Chief executive.

“Yes I have been told but we need Government now to come out officially to confirm that there is indeed existence of oil in Ada. I think I will be happy that during my tenure in office as the DCE and tenure of office of His Excellency President J.E Atta Mills as the President of Ghana that oil has been found in my district at Ada,” Mr. Wussah stressed.

Talking on the future of the Ada Songor Salt Project, he refutes assertions in the Media that GNPC is not patronizing the Ada salt that it is false and misleading. He said the Ada Sorngor can produce any type of salt to meet the standard of the oil industry. He pointed out that very soon Government will come out with new policies regarding revamping the salt industry in Ghana which Ada is no exception.

The Dangme East DCE further disclosed and promised that the Government will soon be reviewing some policies and laws regarding the salt production especially the Ada Songor Lagoon which the government is holding in trust for the people of Ada that very soon the people will be happy as well as the land owners around the Sorngor Lagoon. He therefore calls for foreign and other investors who are interested to come and invest in the salt project as way of creating jobs for the youth of Ada.

It is expected that the President His Excellency John Evans Atta Mills will cut the sod for the commencement of the Ada Sea defence project when he embarks on the President’s tour of the Greater Accra Region. The delay on the commencement of the project was said to have been due to another feasibility studies conducted on the Ada Coastal belt by the NDC Government to avoid a shoddy project.