Stranded GNPC Oil Workers to Be Paid Emoluments

The Ministry of Finance on Monday authorised the payment of all emoluments due 33 workers who were stranded on two rigs of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) in Gabon and Angola.

The workers who were contracted by the corporation had been on the rigs for 14 months because of the inability of GNPC to arrange for their evacuation to Ghana as a result of its indebtedness, Mr Kobina Hammond, Deputy Minister of Energy, told newsmen in Accra.

The rigs were Asterie, based in Gabon with 15 seamen on board and North Sea Pioneer in Angola with 18 seamen.

Mr Hammond told a meeting with the seamen in Accra that the ministry has secured over 827 million cedis as allowances due them.

Some of the seamen were wearing red bands to demonstrate their frustration about not being paid.

"The Ministry of Finance has authorised that a good percentage of their entitlement be paid to them today (Monday)," the deputy minister said.

He, however, said to avoid bureaucratic constraints it would be better for them to go for their cheques next Monday.

The deputy minister said GNPC under its former Chief Executive, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata had no basis for not paying and maintaining the workers who were contracted to work on the ships, apparently to drill oil.

Narrating their ordeal one of the seamen, Mr Daniel Koomson said they left Ghana on May 18 last year for a three-month contract.

He said on reaching the rigs, however, they were abandoned to their fate for 14 months until the government's intervention, which led to their evacuation in July this year.

Meanwhile, GNPC Dr Ofori Quaah, Acting Chief Executive

has said that in the past five years received a total of 200 million dollars direct investments. The investments include the exploration of oil along the coast of Ghana by large international oil companies.

Dr Quaah was speaking at a meeting with Capt. Nkrabea Effah-Darteh (RTD), Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development who paid a visit to the corporation. He said GNPC has no expatriate staff, indicating that besides the capital investments, it has also obtained effective transfer to Ghana of appropriate technology relating to petroleum operations.

Dr Quaah said notwithstanding these laudable achievements, GNPC has in the recent past received a lot of bad publicity, which has also given a new experience to the corporation.

"In our efforts to chart a new course, we need the support of the media and we will open our doors to them for them to know, in a transparent manner, whatever we are doing in the oil industry".

Dr Quaah said the corporation is currently going through a new structural programme from which, it is hoped, would come out a new GNPC that would continue to bring in more investors to develop Ghana's oil industry.

Capt. Effah-Darteh, accompanied by Mr. Samuel Evans Ashong Narh, Tema Municipal Chief Executive and Directors of his Ministry said GNPC should continue to support the Municipal Assembly through the payment of property rates to increase the assembly's revenue.

He visited the Volta Aluminium Company, Cocoa Processing Company, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and First Battalion of Infantry (Michel Camp).