The
CEO
of
the
Petroleum
Hub
Development
Corporation,
Charles
Owusu,
has
assured
that
compensation
will
be
paid
to
the
Nzema
communities
impacted
by
the
Petroleum
Hub
Project.
The
payment
will
be
made
to
farmers,
landowners,
and
communities
in
the
four
affected
areas
of
Nyamenle
Kwame
Ellowule,
Bokakole
Nkwanta,
Asempaye,
and
Old
Kabenla
Suazo.
The
affected
communities
are
demanding
a
downward
renegotiation
of
the
20,000-acre
acquired
land
for
the
Petroleum
Development
Hub
project
which
seeks
to
create
an
estimated
780,000
employment
in
the
Jomoro
Enclave
in
the
Western
region
and
beyond.
In
a
move
to
transform
Ghana’s
energy
sector,
the
Government
of
Ghana,
on
June
18,
2024,
signed
a
US$12
billion
agreement
with
TCP-UIC
Consortium
which
comprises
Touchstone
Capital
Group
Holdings
Ltd.,
UIC
Energy
Ghana
Ltd.,
China
Wuhan
Engineering
Co.
Ltd.,
and
China
Construction
Third
Engineering
Bureau
Co.
Ltd
for
the
development
of
the
first
phase
of
the
Petroleum
Hub
project
in
the
Jomoro
Municipal
Area
in
the
Western
Region.
In
an
interview
with
Bernard
Avle
on
The
Point
of
View
on
Channel
One
TV,
Charles
Owusu
assured
that
the
concerns
of
the
affected
communities
have
been
duly
addressed,
and
compensation
will
be
paid
promptly
before
the
construction
of
the
Petroleum
Hub
Project
commences.
He
reiterated
the
company’s
commitment
to
fair
compensation,
ensuring
that
the
affected
communities
are
adequately
supported
before
the
project
breaks
ground.
“Yes…Sometimes
it’s
hearsay.
Ghana
Gas
is
just
at
their
next
door
at
Atuabo,
we
haven’t
heard
any
of
such
things.
We’re
in
this
country
when
you’re
doing
a
major
project,
such
things
come
up.
“We
have
met
and
explained
things
to
them.
Compensation
will
soon
[be
paid].
Because
of
the
government’s
commitments,
the
cabinet
has
directed
the
Ministry
of
Finance,
and
they
are
working
on
it.
And
very
soon,
we
will
start
paying,
because
we
have
to
pay
before
we
start
the
construction,”
he
assured.
He
confirmed
that
they
have
thoroughly
engaged
with
the
affected
community
members,
ensuring
that
their
concerns
and
issues
have
been
heard
and
addressed
and
that
a
mutually
beneficial
agreement
has
been
reached.
“Everything
is
being
done,
we’re
engaging
them.
We
have
engaged
them
to
the
extent
that
they
told
us
they
don’t
want
to
see
our
faces
again,
we
have
to
come
and
start
work…
I
think
it’s
more
about
understanding,
and
respect
for
one
another.
And
I
think
they
have
done
well.”
This
project
aims
at
positioning
Ghana
as
the
destination
for
energy
trading
in
the
West
Africa
sub-region.
The
agreement
is
a
critical
step
towards
the
President’s
vision
of
Ghana
becoming
a
regional
hub
for
petroleum
refining,
storage,
and
distribution.
The
Petroleum
Hub
project
is
expected
to
accelerate
the
growth
of
Ghana’s
petroleum
downstream
sub-sector
and
make
it
a
major
player
in
the
economy,
creating
jobs,
attracting
foreign
direct
investment,
and
enhancing
energy
security.
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