Considering the enormous pressure on infrastructure in the Western Region as a result of the commercial production of oil in that part of the country, there is the need for the government to increase the allocation of oil revenue to the region, Vice President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX, has said.
Currently, the region receives about 15 to 20 per cent of the total oil revenue accruing to the state but the chiefs say they want more than that.
Their call comes a day after the official commissioning of the Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) oil fields by President John Mahama on Thursday, August 18, 2016.
“We will continue to demand our fair share because if you look at what PIAC has been presenting over the years, the distribution has not been fair to the region. As the bread basket, we get between 15 and 20 percent of the national allocation and for us; if you consider the pressure on our infrastructure, we should get more to be able to maintain them,” Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX who is also Omanhene of Lower Discove said.
“What we are demanding is to get a quota; if that is done for the people of the Western Region, I think then we are all going to enjoy it… anything not below 20 per cent.”
The chiefs have also lamented the impact of the plunge in global oil prices on expected oil revenue.
“Our only handicap is that the price of oil declined significantly which made it difficult for the oil companies to carry out their mandate as expected. Despite these, we will continue to dialogue and resolve all outstanding issues we have as a region,” Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX told journalists.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
