Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX, Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove, has expressed concern over the delay in the construction of the Petroleum Hub project, revealing that the youth of the Western Region are beginning to lose hope in its realisation.

According to Nana Agyeman IX, the youth were promised employment opportunities when the project was first announced. However, the prolonged delay in its implementation has left many doubting whether the project will ever materialise.

Speaking during a meeting between the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) and the Western Regional House of Chiefs on Thursday, April 9, 2026, Nana Agyeman IX stated that although the chiefs and people of the Western Region fully support the project and see it as a game-changer for the region, the slow pace of progress has created growing doubts.

He therefore urged the government and the PHDC to expedite the process, as the youth and people of the Western Region are eagerly awaiting the jobs the project promises to deliver.

“This project started years ago and by now we should have made far more progress than we have seen so far. We want to see actual work on the site. The land was demarcated years ago, yet till date no payment has been made. We keep receiving assurances that the project will be done.

It has been over four years. The delay is making some of our youth lose hope in the project. I’m pleading with the PHDC and the government: whatever we can do to expedite the process, let’s do it. We want to see action on the ground so that our youth can get jobs,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by the Paramount Chief of the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, who expressed concern that chiefs and people across the Western Region are gradually losing hope in the Petroleum Hub project due to its slow pace of implementation.

According to Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, while the government continues to express strong belief in the project, its actions suggest otherwise, as little tangible progress has been recorded over the past few years.

He noted 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 to push the project forward.

“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.

In response, Dr. Toni Aubynn assured the chiefs 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 highlighted the urgency of the project, and that the government remains fully committed to securing Ghana’s energy future through its successful implementation.

Dr. Aubynn disclosed 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.