Ghana Oil war begins?

Nzema citizens warns of Niger Delta style violence if...

The Nzema Citizens Association has called on government to desist from paying royalties from oil to the people of Cape Three Points in the Shama Ahanta area since they are not within the discovery chart.

The Association says Cape Three Points isn't the real site of the oil discovery as being asserted by the media and says government's failure to resolve the issue could lead to tribal conflict in the near future.

Speaking to The Statesman in a telephone interview yesterday, James Anwonzo, Public Relations Officer of the Association, pointed out that West Cape Three Points, which is located in Half Asini and Effasu in the Nzema traditional area are the sites of the discovery and not Ahanta (Cape Three Points) as being claimed.

He said based on those assumptions, government has started channeling resources to the Cape Three Points area which has no link with the communities in which the crude oil was discovered. He says government must also desist from persuading investors to site their industries in Ahanta, instead of Half Assini.

According to him, Government’s present activities in the area are depriving the people of Nzema of some benefits from the oil wealth and in the end could bring chaos to the area.

"The Niger Delta conflict began through verbal exchanges, pleas and request for a fair share of the oil wealth. However, failure of the Nigerian Government to listen to the indigenes then sparked the conflict and has made the area volatile up till now. We don’t want such a thing to happen in Ghana, hence our call for government to be proactive in putting things in order", he stated.

Mr Anwonzo said serious exploration for oil started in the Jomoro district, which is in the Nzema traditional area in the early 90s. Realising its viability, Tullow Oil, Anadarko Energy, Cosmos Oil, Saba Oil and EO then signed a partnership agreement with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation to work together for a successful discovery.

He said based on the agreement, the Nzema coast was divided into three geographical areas: Shallow Water Tano, Deep Water Tano and West Cape Three Points.

Quoting a communiqué drafted at the Fifth Africa Petroleum Forum held in London last year, Mr Anwonzo said the Mahogany One well, which is 63 kilometers from Half Assini and 132km from the south west part of the port city of Takoradi was discovered in June 7, 2007. The second well, Shedua One, which is 5.3 kilometers from the Mahogany One, was discovered in 7th August 2007. He said these two form the Jubilee wells.

The third one, the Odum Well is located 33km east of the jubilee wells, 61 kilometers from Half Assini and 117km off the Takoradi coast. He noted that all the three wells are found around Half Assini and Effasu in the West Cape Three Points area, near the Cote d’Ivoire border and not Cape Three Points, which is within the Ahanta District of the Western Region.

According to Mr Anwonzo all the media publications and the announcements about oil discovery in the Cape Three Points are not based on a true understanding of the facts. He said due to this misinformation, inhabitants of Cape Three Points have started selling their lands for industrial development and expect government also seen government channeling all royalties to the area which is provoking.

He further revealed that the Members of Parliament for Elembele, Freddy Blay, Evalua Ejura, Kojo Armah and Jomoro constituencies Lee Ocran recently issued a press statement on the poor manner in which royalties are being distributed in the area but government has continuously ignored their plea .

"This will in the near future create tribal conflict between the Jomoros, the Nzemas and the Ahantas if nothing is done about it. We want government to put things in order to avoid unforeseen circumstances in the future. Oil must be a blessing and not a curse", he stated.

Reached for comment, officials of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, maintained the right thing is being done, but declined to give specific details. They promised to give a detailed response after the management of the corporation had analysed the claims.