The Paramount Chief of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, has expressed worry that chiefs and people in the Western Region are beginning to lose interest and hope in the realisation of the Petroleum Hub project due to its slow pace of implementation.
According to the Paramount Chief, while the government continues to express strong belief in the project, its actions suggest otherwise, as the initiative has recorded no significant progress over the past few years.
Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II observed that doubt is gradually creeping into the minds of traditional leaders and elders in the Western Region due to what they perceive as a lack of political will from the government to push the project forward.
He expressed fear that the project, which was presented to the region as the ultimate solution to its unemployment challenges, risks becoming a failure and may never materialise.
The Paramount Chief called for greater transparency and openness in the project’s development, emphasising that the only way to secure the full support and buy-in of the people is through consistent and honest engagement.
“We are beginning to lose hope in the project. We were given assurances and timelines, but so far, nothing concrete has happened,” he said.
“We also want the government and the PHDC to be transparent and open with us. No project can succeed without the support of the people, and as chiefs, we represent our people. They must therefore engage us openly,” he added.
These remarks were made during a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC), Dr Toni Aubynn, who paid a courtesy call on the chiefs on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at the Office of the Western Regional House of Chiefs in Sekondi-Takoradi.
The visit was to update them on the land acquisition process following the proposed reduction in the project’s land size from 20,000 acres to 12,300 acres.
In response, Dr Toni Aubynn assured Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II and the entire Western Region that, contrary to their concerns, the Petroleum Hub project enjoys the full backing of the government and strong interest from investors.
He emphasised that recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have further underscored the urgency of the project, and that the government remains fully committed to securing Ghana’s energy future through its successful implementation.
Dr Aubynn hinted that President John Dramani Mahama has shown keen personal interest in the project and has directed the Ministries of Lands and Energy to fast-track the land acquisition process.
By Benjamin Aidoo
