WE WILL NOT TOLORATE MISAPPROPRIATION OF OIL REVENUE - PREZ

Story: Kweku Tsen & Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
The President Professor John Evans Atta Mills today said the government would not tolerate the misappropriation and misapplication of revenue from the oil find at the expense of the people.
He explained that the government would deal ruthlessly with individuals or group of persons who would use clandestine means to siphon resources from the oil find which is meant for the overall development of the country.
Speaking at a mammoth durbar at Takoradi, President Mills said those who have conceive the idea of embezzling monies accrued from the oil find should be prepared to face the full rigors of the law.
Flanked by the ministers of health, roads and highways, and chieftaincy, president Mills assured the gathering that revenues from the oil find would be prudently utilized to improve the quality of life for broad masses of the people.
“Nobody has monopoly over the oil find to manipulate the system their individual advantage. It is a blessing from God for which it should be used to improve the material conditions of the vast majority of the people as well as resuscitate the economy which is seriously challenged at the moment,” he said.
He explained that, the government would liaise with chiefs in the region for the release of lands which would be used for the establishment of industries associated with the oil find and which would provide employment for the people especially the youth.
President Mills remarked that government was also resolved to ensure that services needed by companies which would drill oil in the area were mostly provided by Ghanaians.
President Mills also directed that, the salaries arrears of workers of the Ghana Railways Corporation should be paid to enable them to take good care of their families.
He also told the gathering that, the government was in the process of rehabilitating the rail lines to ensure that timber and other resources from the hinterland were sent to ports at minimal cost.
President Mills said the present situation where timber logs and other mineral resources were sent to the port by road tended to reduce the life span of such roads and for which the government had to find money for its rehabilitation.
For his part, the Awulae Attibrukusu IV, the president of the Western Regional House of Chiefs pledged the support of the chiefs to the government and called on President Mills to set up a special oil fund to address the myriad problems confronting the region and its people.
He also touched on the oil find in the region, and thanked the government for instituting the appropriate framework that would deal with agitations usually associated with the oil industry.
Awulae Attibrukusu also made a passionate appeal to President Mills to consider providing employment to the youth of the area when the drilling of oil in the area fully commences in 2010.
He said the house of chiefs was currently engaged in educational drive to explain the potential as well as the hazards associated with the oil industry to the people in the area.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evan Aiddo thanked the people for the warm reception accorded the president and gave the assurance that the government would commit massive resources for the development of the region which he said, was the main stain of the Ghanaian economy.