Nzema Youth Mad @ Omanhene� For Stalling Gas Project

A youth Group calling itself �Youth for Nzema-Manle and Western Development� has expressed regret over the injunction placed on the Ghana Gas Company at Atuabo from further development of the project by the Paramount Chief for Eastern Nzema, Awulae Amihere Kpanyinle. �We ask why the Omanhene, without any consultation with his chiefs and elders, must wait for the project to get to its completion stage before taking this action, and with whose interest is the action taken. �Is it for the benefit of the future generation of the area or some small group of persons or for himself,� the group asked. A press release issued by the group and signed by its Communication Director, Mr. Adu Baffour, noted that �we, as a group wish to state unequivocally that we respect the court�s order which was delivered earlier this week by presiding judge, Justice Kofi Akowua, where he granted a limited injunction to restrain all work on the project until the final determination of the case. We, however, disagree with the position as being accentuated by the Omanhene of Eastern Nzema Traditional Area.� According to the youth, the injunction will not only affect the project at large, but would discourage other prospective business opportunities from establishing on Nzemaland. �This action taken by the Omanhene is clearly anti-development and must be withdrawn. We sincerely believe that the Paramount Chief needs to exercise restrain and jaw-jaw,� they noted. The group appealed to the Ghana National Gas Company to, as a matter of urgency, put in place measures that would help to iron out the stalemate as well as resolve to pay all monies to the chiefs and people to pave way for the continuation and completion of the project on time. The group, however, entreated the Omanhene and his Elders to openly make available all payments which are yet to be made to them known to the entire people of Nzemaland and the region at large, as well as the laid down measures, such as the channel and purpose with which the money would be used, the potential beneficiaries and other packages aside the cash payment. �We believe investing a huge part of the money into a sustainable development will go the long way to improve the lives of the future generation.� The group, therefore, suggested to the Omanhene, who is the plaintiff in the case to adopt a new approach, which is business friendly to allow quick payment of rent, particularly as our investigations have revealed that some of these companies, especially the private ones, have already paid the owners of the land, and in the case of Ghana Gas the valuation exercise to determine the actual land owners is being undertaken by the Land Valuation Board.�