Paramount Chief of Esikado Praises GIZ

The paramount Chief of Esikado Traditional area, Nana Kobina Nketsia V, has commended The German Technical Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit GIZ ) for funding various training and capacity building programs on oil and gas for Ghanaian journalists aimed at enhancing their knowledge on technical and complex dealings in the industry.

The Paramount Chief of Esikado acknowledged the great role being played by the German government in promoting knowledge development and transparency in the oil and gas industry through the training of stakeholders to serve as guards and watchdogs in the exploration and management of oil revenue in Ghana.

He made this known when Journalists from the Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) paid working a visit to his palace on Friday during a fact finding mission in the oil rich western region of Ghana. The visit also formed part of efforts to seek the views of the paramount chief on the roles being played by chiefs in the area to make the oil find a blessing in the region than a curse.

Openly, Nana Kobina Nketsia told Allan Kwame Lassey, a top official of GIZ, that “I am impressed with what your organization is doing to promote and improve knowledge development, management and transfer in Ghana. It is my prayer that the German government continues to build the capacity of Ghanaian Journalists to understand the issues so that they will hold state officials in charge of state funds accountable.

He also commended Mr Lloyd Evans, retired Journalists from Daily Graphic who Is the president of IFEJ and Ray born Bulley Vice president of IFEJ for the various roles they are playing to shape the skills of young Journalists in Ghana.

He was however sad that chiefs and traditional leaders in the country have been sidelined on matters related to state administration.

Answering a question from Mr Kwabena Adu Koranteng , a Journalist from the New Crusading Guide and a member of IFEJ as to why chiefs were not playing major roles in negotiating compensation for farmers and fishermen affected by the oil exploration and related activities, he questioned” Where can you find chiefs in the arms of government?) We have the executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary and possible the Media as the fourth estate of the realm. Did the constitution mention chiefs as part of the arms? No. It didn’t. So the affected farmers and Fishermen always go into negotiations with the oil and gas companies without the knowledge of the chiefs and when it backfires, and they are being cheated they then turn to the chiefs for help and protection. When this happens, we accept the challenge and assist them bargain for the best. This is unfortunate because it should have been like this. It should have been the other way round. The chiefs should have been the lead negotiators and brokers because we know what is good for our people and will not shortchange them but they prefer taking the first shot and if it doesn’t work then they turn to us for assistance. However, there is nothing we can do apart from helping them fight for their rights which we are always doing.

“Expectation is not the issue but people don’t feel they belong to the whole idea of development. Personally, I pray that the oil price go down some more to lessen the suffering of the masses. We have a huge mass of unemployed people. The most precious thing Ghanaians desire is land and this must not be taken away from us as is being done now. We must feel the development and not somebody telling us .anybody who defines your world controls your world. The natural resources are ours so we must own it 100%.” He added