Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged the government to ensure that proceeds from oil exploration are applied with prudence and devoid of unethical practices. He said Ghanaians had shown tremendous delight following the good news about the discovery of oil in commercial quantities off the coast of the Western Region and for which the government's efficient protection and management was critical. The Asantehene, who indicated this in his address at the 8th Ashanti Business Excellence Awards, organised under the auspices of the Manhyia Palace by the Top Brass Ghana, said the oil find presented enormous opportunities for accelerated economic and social development of the country. In an address read for him by the Kwasohene, Nana Nketiah Boampiong II, the Asantehene cautioned that while the oil find would be a vital catalyst for country's development, it also posed a number of critical challenges. The challenges, he mentioned included the judicious use of the oil revenue for the benefit of Ghanaians as a whole and not just a few oligarchs. Others, he said, were the preservation of the environment and the availability of an indigenous human resource base to manage the oil industry. He commended the government and all those involved in the oil discovery for their determination and sense of purpose to protect such a vital resource for the people. He ,however, advised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take proactive measures to safeguard the environment in the oil producing areas to ensure that the environment was not degraded as a consequence of the oil exploration. He congratulated the deserving award winners whose for aiding in the social and economic development of Ashanti region. The categories for the awards included Agriculture, Commerce, Construction, Energy, Health, Mining, Tourism, Transportation and Timber industries.