The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has attributed Ghana’s 35% decline in petroleum production to government corruption, which he says has driven away major investors like ExxonMobil to countries such as Ivory Coast.
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Speaking to the Western Regional House of Chiefs in Sekondi during his three-day tour of the region, Mahama alleged that some government officials demand exorbitant sums from petroleum investors for oil blocks, undermining confidence in the industry.
He contrasted the current state of the sector with the growth recorded under his administration, emphasizing that corruption has eroded the progress his government achieved. Mahama also recalled efforts during his tenure to attract investment into the petroleum industry.
The former president assured the chiefs that a future NDC government has a comprehensive strategy to restore investor confidence and revitalize Ghana’s petroleum sector.
“There is a lot of work hard that will be required by the new government. I will not deceive you that it will be easy to revive the country. It will demand a lot of hard work to revive it. I believe that NDC has the people to do that work.
“We have decided to talk to the oil companies to come back and work with us. There is something called climate change and they have started manufacturing electric vehicles for people to withdraw from investing in oil. So this is the time to put your oil on fast sales, else it will get to a time where no one will purchase oil from you, so we have to be fast about it so that we can benefit from it.”
The Paramount Chief of Lower Axim, Awulae Attribrukusu and the Paramount Queen Mother of Shama, Nana Akosua Gyamfiaba both bemoaned the poor state of the healthcare and devastation by galamsey, calling on John Mahama to ban Changfan manufacturing in Ghana and its importation when he becomes President.
The flagbearer of the NDC also interacted with the Western Regional Clergy in the Effia Constituency and he is expecting to visit all the 17 constituencies of the Western Region by the close of Wednesday.
Mahama was accompanied by his Campaign Manager, Joshua Alarbi, and other party bigwigs including Totobi Kwarkyi, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah and Julius Debrah.
