Western Region Renews Call For 10% Oil Revenue

The Chiefs and people of Western Region have renewed their call for government to allocate ten percent of the oil revenue to them to be used for the development of the region to assume a status of oil city.

The paramount chief of Lower Dixcove, and Acting President of the Western Region House of Chiefs Nana Kwasi Agyeman IX said he finds it surprising that government des selection of so called projects funded by oil money without the the knowledge of the chiefs and people in the region.

“These projects that are said to be undertaking with oil money, who selects them. These are our legitimate concerns that we want all of you to think of if we want maximum impact. We want transparency in the fair utilization of the oil revenue for all the projects in the country especially the western region. When oil was first found in commercial quantities in the western region, we thought it was going to create jobs, contribute to the rise of industries and promote economic growth and standards of living. What we have seen so far is the opposite and concerns are rising”, he said.

“People all over the country are migrating here, thereby increasing the population, cost of living are rising and the locals are beginning to question if the revenue gained so far from oil is helping to transform the region? You now see the wisdom from the 10% Nananom

requested from the oil revenue to develop the region. The essence of the ten percent is to help us remedy the situation” he added.

The Chiefs first made this request and several other proposals on Wednesday November 17, in Parliament as their inputs into the Petroleum Production and Petroleum Revenue Management Bills at the time .

Among other things, the Chiefs, led by Awulae Attibrukusu III, were also concerned about the membership of committees that will be managing the oil proceeds and other activities.

Awulae Attibrukusu III, who is also the President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, said although the Western Region contributes a huge chunk of the country’s resources, it is yet to enjoy a fair share of the national cake, hence the need for Government to dedicate ten percent of the oil revenue for the Region’s infrastructural development

According to him, the ten percent would make up for the unfair treatment meted out to the Region in the past in terms of development.

“We are ten Regions so even if we are dividing it Region by Region, its ten percent to each Region but we want exclusively that because of the neglect we have been subjected to by various Governments to be exclusively for the development of the Western Region.”

Awulae Attibrukusu III said that “if the request is approved, the monies will be managed by indigenes of the Region once it is put in the Consolidated Fund”.

Ghana discovered oil in commercial quantities in 2007 in the Cape Three Points area off the coast of Western Region.