W/R: 'We are being cheated in Ghana Gas projects, Nzemalands deserve the best not the worst' — Residents

Indigenes of the Western Region have complained bitterly about being cheated as far as the distribution of Ghana Gas' corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects is concerned.

A charity group representing the people of the Western Region, Shaip Africa Foundation is especially unhappy with the decision by Ghana Gas and Quantum Terminal to construct a 200-bed hospital at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) while considering constructing only a 20-bed hospital worth $2.86 million for Aiyinase community in the Western Region.

The Foundation has therefore rejected the construction of the 20-bed hospital, saying emphatically that "Nzemalands deserve the best and not the worst."

According to the CEO of Shaip Africa Foundation, Dr. Clement Clinton Blay, considering the potential adverse effects of oil and gas exploration at Atuabo on Nzemas, people from Nzemalands deserve much more than just a 20-bed health facility.

Ghana Gas Company and Quantum Terminal as part of their corporate social responsibilities, cut sod for the construction of $2.86 million 20-bed health facility for the Aiyinase community in the Western region.

A similar project funded by Ghana Gas is to commence at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) with a 200-bed health facility.

For this reason, the Chief Executive Officer for Shaip Africa Foundation, Dr. Clement Clinton Blay found it cheating and discriminatory when Ghana Gas company cut sod for 200-bed hospital at the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani.

He said, the good people of Aiyinase if nothing at all, ought to have been rewarded with the 200-bed health facility to merit a fair share of the proceeds from the Oil and Gas situated on their lands.

Dr. Blay reveals to journalists that the 2022 population statistics of Aiyinasi community currently stood at about 11,000 considering over 30 surrounding communities to use the facility as a referral center adding up to over 50,000 beneficiaries as far as health issues in Aiyinase is concerned.

Dr. Blay said it’s unfair for UENR which has a population of less than 11,000 to Aiyinasi alone will have a 200-bed facility while the people of Aiyinase are given only 20-bed facility to serve as a referral center.

He said, looking at the statistics, the proposed 20-bed health center for the people of Aiyinase won’t be enough to ease the pressure on the only district hospital at Ekwei, thus, patients will still travel far to access certain healthcare services.

He said, Nzema is known to be the leading oil and gas producing community in Ghana but unfortunately, infrastructural development has eluded them for many years.

He mentioned that the lack of adequate school infrastructure, bad roads and environmental issues such as air pollution and other infrastructural facilities as some of the major challenges confronting the people of Aiyinase and the entire Nzemaland.

The group is therefore calling on Ghana Gas Company and Quantum Terminal to increase the number of health facilities since the two companies are making elephantine profits on their lands.