Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo has echoed his government’s commitment to ensuring greater Ghanaian participation in the exploration of onshore oil deposits in Ghana.
This follows the discovery of oil in the Volta basin, Avenor.
According to him, Ghanaians will get the upper hand in the exploration of oil going forward.
The President made the comment while responding to a request by the chiefs, queen mothers and elders of the Avenor Traditional Council during an interaction with them at the Jubilee House.
While welcoming the Paramount Chief of Avenor, President Akuffo-Addo said the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) should be allowed to complete its ongoing studies in oil exploration in the area.
“Onshore is much cheaper to bring up than offshore oil. Offshore oil is a very expensive business and that is why you need these huge companies; ExxonMobil, and others, to be able to put the rigs into the seabed to bring up the oil. When it comes to onshore, the capital is not so expensive, so, we are hoping that if the studies confirm that there is, indeed, oil there, we can get as many Ghanaians as possible – people from the area and elsewhere to be involved in bringing it up and using it for our development,” he assured.
In his address to the President, the leader of the delegation, the Paramount Chief and President of the Avenor Traditional Council, Togbe Dorglo Anumah VI, urged the government to put in much effort to explore the oil in the area.
“Long ago, the Romanians were exploring oil in Avenorpeme, and they bandied off and claimed that the oil involved was not in commercial quantities, but we are of the belief that their technology was limited and not advanced enough. Today, oil has been discovered in the Volta basin, and we know that the catchment area covers our area also”. We are pleading and hoping that you find the wisdom, the financial resources, to undertake this important project,” Togbe Dorglo said.
The chiefs, among others, also pleaded with the government to facilitate the formal inauguration of the anticipated change of the Avenor Traditional Area from a district to a municipal Assembly.
