Nzema Group Raises Land Acquisition Concerns Amid Multi-Billion Dollar Project In Western Region

• The Coalition of Concerned Nzema People is upset with land acquisition for a Petroleum Hub Development Corporation project
• The coalition's leader, Isaac Ndede Kojo, has complained about the reported lack of consultation with the clans of Nzemaland
• The Akufo-Addo administration started the Petroleum Hub project previously with a purported 20,000 acres of land in Jomoro

The Coalition of Concerned Nzema People is demanding due process for the acquisition of land to be used for the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation project.

The group has complained about a lack of consultation from the Akufo-Addo administration in relation to the project on a purported 20,000 acres of land in Jomoro.

In an interview with YEN.com.gh, the group’s leader, Isaac Ndede Kojo, claimed that the land was allocated for the project without consulting the Nzemaland clans.

Kojo said that previously, a petition was sent to then-President Nana Akufo-Addo, requesting that proper consultation with the people take place.

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“We have not given out the land to the government for the project. The reason is that the former government decided to take it compulsorily and we challenged that”.

The Coalition of Concerned Nzema People subsequently threatened to sue the government after the petition was rejected by the Akufo-Addo administration.

Since the change in power, the group has turned its attention to the Mahama administration and sent a petition on February 12, 2025.

“When this government came into power, we wrote a petition; the same petition to the government. The president invited us. We went to the presidency. The chief of staff has ordered the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry to form a committee which will involve us.”

Kojo told GNA that an official from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources visited the location for the Petroleum Hub project after the meeting with the presidency.

The coalition clarified that it was not against the project but rather worried about the broad land acquisition required for the project.

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The land has economic and social value, which has historically provided significant benefits through coconut plantation, cash crops and other resources.

These areas also hold other significant mineral deposits such as gold, clinker, and crude oil.

Petroleum Hub project: what the coalition demands

The coalition, among other concerns, wants the government to meet certain conditions before any land is allocated for the petroleum hub project, which is intended to boost oil refining, petrochemicals, and storage infrastructure.

It wanted assurances that the land would not be sold nor acquired compulsorily by the government. It also wanted an arrangement where the land could only be leased with provisions for generation compensation.

The communities also demanded 25% of the investment value as equity to ensure that the landowners benefit directly from the project and a perfect start with 5,000 acres to prevent land grabs without actual development.

The coalition also called for a 30% job quota for the core affected communities to prevent residents from being disadvantaged due to rising living costs associated with the project.

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Kojo said that these demands needed to be met before the coalition would permit any land to be allocated for the petroleum hub project.

The committee is to be set by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources under the directive of the presidency, which will include representatives of the coalition. It has three weeks to come up with recommendations to respond to the demands of the coalition of Concerned Nzema People.

Appiatse locals threaten to block new homes

YEN.com.gh also reported that some aggrieved residents from Appiatse have threatened to block the use of the 124 homes commissioned by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.

Although those displaced by the truck explosion that killed 16 people have welcomed the project, victims who were compensated with money said they were still not satisfied.

Source: YEN.com.gh