RepairersOfTheBreach.Africa

THE SCRAMBLE FOR THE WEST June 11, 2009

BLESSINGS OR CURSES?!

The number eight is regarded as a very important number by many religious groups due to its significance, which cannot be over-emphasized. The number eight is regarded as a number which signifies ‘new beginnings’; on the eight day a child is outdoor in many Ghanaian traditional societies. After the seventh day God rested from His work and the day after, which is the eight day after creation signified a new beginning of man’s responsibilities as the manager of the earth.

The year 2008 was approached by many Christians with the conviction that positive new things will happen to their lives and that of the nation and even Africa as a whole. The discovery of oil was popularized among the Ghanaian populace within this same year. Current trends in Africa confirm that God has indeed shifted focus to Africa; He wants to use the continent to achieve His heartbeat for the World in this season.

The oil-rich West (of Ghana) seems to have given the region a new identity and the nation a new commodity wheels to run her economy. Among the various treasures in the Western region of Ghana is the unforgettable name of the first president of the country, ‘Osagifo’ Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The Nzema man who fought harder along-side many other Ghanaian nationalists and independent activists for the country has been the pride of the region for decades. But, will the recent oil discovery, which seems to be deliverance for the Ghanaian economy silence the voice of the name of this political hero (Dr. Kwame Nkrumah)?

Africans, and for that matter, Ghanaians are crying for economic liberators and no more past political heroes. The petroleum prices adjustment is even making situations worse as Ghanaian feel deceived by the unrealistic NDC government who promised to reduce petrol prices drastically, whatever that meant.

The western region is now the heart of Ghana’s prospective economic stronghold. What does this means for the locals in the western region whose farming and fishing activities around the on-shore and off-shore oil rich areas is halted, respectively? What does this mean for many unemployed Ghanaians? What does this mean for foreign investors?

With two-hundred and fifty thousand barrels a day or may be more, Ghana has been ushered into the global oil commodity market and many foreign based oil companies are now in the country to tap into this glory.

Many petroleum management schools and it associated activities are springing up in the country recently. This is to build a strong and a skilled Ghanaian labor force to enable the natives of the country to derive more benefits from the black gold economy.

Real Estates developers are no exception in this fortune; many foreigners coming in into the country will need lodging places and offices for the smooth running of their businesses in all peacefulness of mind and efficiency. This means an enormous benefit for them. The westerns region will also be a site for modern social housing apartments, adding beauty and a bit of modernity to the place as aresult of this development (the oil discovery).

Farmers have their place, hotel owners have theirs place, restaurant operators have their place, tailors have their place, taxi drivers and other car rental companies have their place, and security agencies have their place and fishermen too. But, imperatively, the natives of the region will get ready employment opportunities and government must ensure that this happens so everybody will be satisfied. The Niger-Delta crisis of Nigeria, which halted one-fifth of the countries oil production, should be a great lesson for Ghanaians.

The year 2010 will kick start all exploitation activities. About 70% of oil will be exported whiles 40% will be internalized for domestic usage. Ghana consumes about 60,000 barrels of oil in a day, by subtracting 60,000 from 250,000 barrels of oil in a day, there is a promise of a great relief, so to speak, for Ghanaians; both for those who own cars and those who utilizes the public transport system. In addition, many factories that maximize fuel in running factory energy plants like generators and others might enjoy the benefits of low cost in production as they might pay less for fuel. Also, by exporting 70% of our oil for foreign exchange, more dollars will flow into the country as well as other currencies and the pressure on the Cedi might greatly reduce. When, there is less demand on the dollars and its supply is more, its rise over the Ghanaian Cedi, to some extent, will drop and the Cedi will gain strength.

Fingers are crossed and eyes, wide opened. People are watching, waiting patiently on how the government will manage the oil economy. The NDC seems to have contradicted them selves with an unfulfilled idealistic campaign promise. Having failed to reduce the oil prices drastically, they have rather increased it marginally by 30%. It has been reasoned out by many analysts that, it likely for about two years after exploitation begins Ghana my not be ready to enjoy the benefits of its oil, therefore Ghanaians must take note and be patient with the government in case their expectations never actualized in about two years or less after oil productions starts in the country. The problem with Africans is that, we are too impatient and always desire a quick way out of our frustrations and that is why we are so aggressive. we think short-term and not long-term. We prefer treating the symptoms of our problems rather than the causes. Frustration is said to be the mother of aggression, but we must remember that when emotions take grip of the human psyche and begins to control it, reason loses its impetus and the end result is calamity. This is because, emotions must be guided and directed by reason and once reason loses its grip, emotions loses touch with reality yet reason is a deliberate thing. we must deliberateley keep our emotions under control.

It is my belief, that the oil blessings will cut down the unemployment and the under-employment rate in the country and provide the nation with middle income status she wants to attain between now and 2020.

I was glad to have heard that, the current President, Professor J. A. Mills, said that though the oil companies in the country are here to make profit and not run a charity organization, he will also ensure that any agreement between the companies and the previous administration, which do not favor Ghanaians is subject to review and alteration. This is our era as a nation to build a strong economy, alleviate poverty, and create wealth as well as building strong a educational foundation as financial resources to accomplish these things would not be so much of a challenge.

In conclusion, I want to say to Ghanaians that the oil must unite us, enlarge us or bless us, and finally point us to God and His Christ. This is emphatically what God said will happen, when the abundance of the sea is converted unto us in Isaiah 60:5. Some politicians, instead of giving glory to God for the oil discovery have rather used the discovery as a campaign message. They used this message to urge Ghanaians on to vote for them because it was during the period of their governance that the oil was discovered and retaining them in power will birth out many other blessings. I consider this as very unfortunate. I am a non-partisan nationalist and the statements I make in reference to any political party are out of love and concern for the motherland and not out of hatred.

I appeal as well to the Ghana police force and the other security agencies to be very vigilant in all their duties with integrity as their backbone. I perceive that, prostitutes, fraudsters, armed robbers, and other social delinquents are preparing to invade the Western region to tap into the oil economy by making money out of their victims. The western region is already noted for amazing commercial sex activities, and I pray God will manifest His security abilities through the nation’s security forces in ensuring that the Land of Ghana is not cursed by the Black Gold.

Fidel Y. Tetteh
Repairers of the Breach, Africa