Traditional leaders in the Western Region have promised to fully back Dr. Toni Aubynn, the CEO of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC), as he spearheads the project’s realization.
When the hub is finished, the chiefs are hopeful that it would increase economic growth, provide employment, and establish Ghana as Africa’s first significant petroleum hub.
Nana Kobina Nketiah IV, the president of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, reaffirmed his adamant request that the PHDC’s headquarters be mentioned in the Western Region.
He claimed that doing so would demonstrate the dedication and gravity of the project’s realization and be in line with the area’s abundant resource base.
The ongoing concentration of corporate headquarters in Accra was bemoaned by Nana Nketiah IV.
“It is quite disheartening that almost every headquarters ends up in Accra.” Nana Nketiah said.
He called on the government to centralize important institutions and make sure that areas that made major economic contributions to the country profited directly from these changes.
Speaking to the chiefs, Dr. Aubynn restated President John Dramani Mahama’s goal of making Jomoro the “Rotterdam of Ghana,” a center for international energy.
He emphasized that in addition to developing infrastructure, PHDC is dedicated to educating and equipping young people in the area to take advantage of the job possibilities that will present themselves once building gets underway.
“With the right training, the youth will not only qualify for jobs within the hub but also become competitive for similar roles elsewhere,” Dr Aubynn assured.
After it is operational, the Petroleum Hub is expected to provide more than 700,000 direct and indirect jobs, guaranteeing energy accessibility, affordability, sustainability, and dependability throughout Ghana and the West African subregion.
Dr. Aubynn reassured the chiefs that President Mahama is dedicated to accelerating compensation payments in response to their worries regarding the delayed payment of compensation to communities impacted by oil and gas operations.
“President Mahama has charged me to ensure the swift payment of all compensations because we cannot hold title to the land without fulfilling that obligation,” Dr Aubynn stated.
In order to guarantee the project’s successful completion, he also asked the local stakeholders and young people to embrace it with confidence and the traditional leaders in the area to offer ongoing support.
The Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Area, where the hub is located, Awulae Annor Adjaye III, urged Dr. Aubynn to constantly uphold excellence in leadership, transparency, and community involvement.
At the Western Regional Coordinating Council, Dr. Aubynn also made a courtesy call to Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister.
Joseph Nelson commended Dr. Aubynn’s stellar track record in the public and commercial sectors and congratulated him on his appointment.
He emphasized the hub’s potential to propel industrialization and economic change in the Western Region and promised his full assistance in aiding the initiative.
The project is anticipated to spur industrial change and economic growth, with the potential to generate approximately 700,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Dr. Aubynn and his team have been ordered by President John Dramani Mahama to accelerate the project’s development in order to ensure its quick realization.
Source: newsthemegh.com