Traditional Leaders In Oil And Gas Region Urged To Stop Outright Sale Of Lands

The State and traditional leaders, especially those in the Oil and Gas region of Ghana are being admonished to access their vulnerability levels with the influx of giant oil companies and act with vigilance. They were urged never to indulge in the outright sale of lands, but to manage them such that returns are used to reduce poverty among Ghanaians and preserved for future generations.

The admonishment was made at a Stakeholders meeting called by the School of Research and Graduate studies (SORAGS) of the Institute of Professional Studies(IPS), to brainstorm on ways to empower traditional leaders to better manage natural resources, especially lands in the Western region as part of a research being conducted by the Institute.

The meeting brought together Professors from the University of Calabar, Nigeria, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology as well as representatives from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Office of the Administration of Stool Lands, Geological Survey Department, Land Valuation Board, the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Minning and the Gyaasehene of Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kwesi Tandoh.

A Professor of Petro-Physics at the Department of Geology at the University of Calabar, Nigeria, Professor E.O.Esu urged Ghana to learn from his country's mistakes and ensure that laws regulating the extraction of oil and gas are not flouted by oil companies and individuals, especially those that affect the environment.

Summarizing the outcome of the deliberations, Professor William Oduro of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, KNUST, said Chiefs should propose a development fund in which they will have no personal interest except to develop their respective areas. He also encouraged them to be part of the rapid response units being established in order to report irregularities to the appropriate quarters when the oil productions begin.

Other issues that were mentioned in the course of the discussion included corruption on the part of some officials of state institutions mandated to guide traditional leaders, who ask for pieces of land before they offer help. Some chiefs however, are said to be adamant or unwilling to accept professional advice.

The Dean of SORAGS, Rev. Mrs Goski Alabi and her research team were applauded for the initiative while the Rector of the Institute, Professor Joshua Alabi, was optimistic of the invaluable support that the outcome of the research will be to the state and traditional leaders in managing Ghana's oil.

The SORAGS of IPS contested with other African Universities and won the research contract which is being funded by the Department for International Development, UK, through the Association of African Universities (AAU).

Gifty Andoh Appiah.