Ahead of the commencement of the drilling of oil at the Jubilee field at Cape Three Points in the Western Region during the latter part of the year, public forums are being organized across the country to collate views on how the oil revenue should be managed efficiently for the benefit of the nation.
The idea is to involve the public in all matters relating to the oil find with regard to the social and economic benefits to the country.
So far, the Central, Western, Brong- Ahafo and Upper West regions have had their turns in the discussions which have proved to be frank and fruitful.
Public expectations from the oil find are very high in terms of what comes into the pocket of the average Ghanaian, job creation and general improvement in the national economy as revealed at the forums in the four regions.
There have also been misgivings and a lot of anxiety among the participants stemming from the fear of mismanagement and abuse of the funds accruing from the oil revenue when production finally takes off in October this year.
It is this fear of powerful personalities and institutions in Accra sucking up the wealth that compelled traditional rulers in the Western Region to insist that the region should first get its share of the royalties before the bulk of the money goes to Accra.
Funny as this particular proposal may sound, the Times cannot but sympathise with the position. The chiefs are talking from experience in which mining companies are known to pay royalties alright but which the communities seldom benefit from.
While not disagreeing with advocates that the mining companies, generally, are not doing enough, it must also be pointed out that they, indeed, do pay the royalties. The problem is how the communities get their share of these payments.
In the Brong-Ahafo Region, the people are also entertaining fears that the revenue from the oil might not trickle down to improve the lives of the poor, citing the Nigerian experience in which corruption, mismanagement and communal conflicts had bedeviled the oil sector.
From Wa in the Upper West Region, our correspondent says the chiefs advised that human settlement must be taken into consideration in the overall development of the oil industry.
They noted that direct and indirect activities of the oil industry would affect settlement owing to increase in population and stressed the need for a framework to ensure the proper planning and orderly utilization of lands in towns and communities where oil has been discovered.
This is the voice of the people, and we dare ask: is anybody taking notes?
The Times commends the government for the initiative of allowing the general public to express their views on how the nation can collectively handle the challenges in the oil sub- sector.
The forums are very necessary, especially at this time when people’s expectations are so high.
Talking about expectations, may we ask; who is being put in charge of managing them?
It is important not to let the people continue in what, in some instances, amount to day-dreams or asking for the moon.
It is important to explain to the people that the money does not flow the moment the first drop of oil is captured.
Government must not forget to do this, for it is unfulfilled expectations that give rise to disappointments, and to anger and to riots.
The idea is to involve the public in all matters relating to the oil find with regard to the social and economic benefits to the country.
So far, the Central, Western, Brong- Ahafo and Upper West regions have had their turns in the discussions which have proved to be frank and fruitful.
Public expectations from the oil find are very high in terms of what comes into the pocket of the average Ghanaian, job creation and general improvement in the national economy as revealed at the forums in the four regions.
There have also been misgivings and a lot of anxiety among the participants stemming from the fear of mismanagement and abuse of the funds accruing from the oil revenue when production finally takes off in October this year.
It is this fear of powerful personalities and institutions in Accra sucking up the wealth that compelled traditional rulers in the Western Region to insist that the region should first get its share of the royalties before the bulk of the money goes to Accra.
Funny as this particular proposal may sound, the Times cannot but sympathise with the position. The chiefs are talking from experience in which mining companies are known to pay royalties alright but which the communities seldom benefit from.
While not disagreeing with advocates that the mining companies, generally, are not doing enough, it must also be pointed out that they, indeed, do pay the royalties. The problem is how the communities get their share of these payments.
In the Brong-Ahafo Region, the people are also entertaining fears that the revenue from the oil might not trickle down to improve the lives of the poor, citing the Nigerian experience in which corruption, mismanagement and communal conflicts had bedeviled the oil sector.
From Wa in the Upper West Region, our correspondent says the chiefs advised that human settlement must be taken into consideration in the overall development of the oil industry.
They noted that direct and indirect activities of the oil industry would affect settlement owing to increase in population and stressed the need for a framework to ensure the proper planning and orderly utilization of lands in towns and communities where oil has been discovered.
This is the voice of the people, and we dare ask: is anybody taking notes?
The Times commends the government for the initiative of allowing the general public to express their views on how the nation can collectively handle the challenges in the oil sub- sector.
The forums are very necessary, especially at this time when people’s expectations are so high.
Talking about expectations, may we ask; who is being put in charge of managing them?
It is important not to let the people continue in what, in some instances, amount to day-dreams or asking for the moon.
It is important to explain to the people that the money does not flow the moment the first drop of oil is captured.
Government must not forget to do this, for it is unfulfilled expectations that give rise to disappointments, and to anger and to riots.
