Members of the Anochie family in the Ellembele District of the Western Region have declared support for the Omanhene of Eastern Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli in a decision to fight officials of the Ghana Gas Company in court over a parcel of land. 

A Sekondi High Court last week granted an interlocutory injunction on the National Gas Company, SINOPEC, and three others restraining them from carrying out any activity on the land on which Ghana Gas operates, until the company regularises its occupation with the Eastern Nzema Traditional Council in 14 days.

With barely a week to the expiration of the injunction, the Tofuhene of Anochie, Awonyi  Mensah Robert said the owners of the land are yet to receive any compensation.

He also accused the company of failing to employ an agreed number of skilled and unskilled youth from the area.

According to Awonyi  Mensah Robert, even compensation for the destruction of their cash crops was less than the actual value of the crops. He said farmers were paid not more than Gh¢16-26 per plant on coconut plantations while the crops were valued at Gh¢85 as of 2012.  

He told a news conference at Sekondi Wednesday that they are not against efforts to solve the nation's energy crisis by building the gas plant there "but the appropriate thing must be done".

Ghana Gas is mandated to build, own and operate infrastructure required for the gathering, processing, transporting and marketing of natural gas resources in the country.

The project, when completed is expected to process 150 million Standard Cubic Feet of raw gas per day from the Jubilee Oil field.

[Posted by JTM]