The Nzema Koyele Eku (Union) has embarked on a peaceful demonstration to press home their demands for equitable and sustainable development in the Nzema area.
As early as 06:00 hours, the demonstrators had converged at Nkroful, the birthplace of Dr Kwame Nkrumah to march through the Nkroful-Esiama highway.
They hoisted placards such as “Who Is Nzemahene”?, “Awulaemo, Nzema Needs You, Ghana Gas: We Need a University, Better Roads and Referral Hospitals, Accept King Kaku Aka III at the House Of Chiefs, Potholes on Nzema Roads Have Graduated Into Manhole, All the Youth In Nzema Are Crying to Have One Overlord among others.
Addressing the demonstrators at the now-defunct Esiama Oil Mills factory established by Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Queen-mother of Ekpu, Obahema Bulu Benee noted with concern that successive governments had abandoned the factory which provided the coconut industry with jobs.
She, therefore, asked the government to revive the project.
Obahema Benee also asked the government to turn her attention towards the development of Nzemaland.
Addressing the crowd at Esiama, the Queen-mother of Upper Axim, Obahema Awuza called on the government to help unite the paramount chiefs in the area including King Kaku Aka III to pave way for development.
She stressed the need for the local content policy to work to employ more indigenes from Nzema in the oil and gas business.
Obahema Awuza advised the youth to stay away from early sex and pursue education to become responsible in the future.
Secretary to the Nzema Koyele Eku, Mr Robert Morkeh who read the petition, said with the oil and gas and associated petrochemical industry, Nzema was now the economic powerhouse of Ghana’s energy mix, yet the oil finds on their soil was not reflected in the lives of the people in terms of employment, scholarships, health facilities, good roads, school buildings, modern markets among others.
He added that the recent Sargassum Seaweeds on the West coast brought untold hardships to fishing communities but the government looked on unconcerned.
“If the government could not solve that menace as a result of the oil and gas exploration, then was the government prepared to solve any spillage” he questioned.
On the proposed Petroleum Hub Project in Jomoro, he said events around the oil find and the current global shift away from fossil fuels gave cause for worry which could leave Nzema landless and jobless.
“In this vein, the initial land size of 20,000 acres be scaled down to 5,000 acres with specific performance milestones agreed to for the release of additional land if required.”
He mentioned the devastating nature of galamsey activities which have destroyed river bodies especially the Ankobra,Tanoe, Amanzule, Subile due to gold mines by Adamus Resources Ltd and galamseyers.
He demanded a fair share of coconut seedlings in terms of Planting for Food and Jobs just as the Central Region has been supplied with massive seedlings.
The secretary added that ninety percent of Nzema youth were not employed despite the emergence of oil and gas companies in the area.
He also demanded an overlord for Nzemaland and called on the National House of Chiefs to settle the rift between King Kaku Aka III and some of the seven paramount chiefs to foster unity and development in the area.
