Demarcate exclusive zone at sea for protection, stakeholders urge Jubilee Partners

Stakeholders at a day�s forum on petroleum, exploration and production bill in Takoradi have called on the Partners operating at the Jubilee Oil Field off Cape Three Points to demarcate exclusive zone at sea to prevent fishermen from fishing closer to the oil installations to ensure their safety. They noted that though fishermen have been banned from fishing 500 meters away from the oil installations like the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility there is no indication preventing fishermen from fishing further. The stakeholders who spoke in turns said fishermen are therefore tempted to fish closer to the facilities because they generate light to attract more fishes, a move which result in their arrest by the Marine taskforce who normally seize their fishing gear and prosecute them while some even lose their lives. Mr John Eshun, executive member of the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) suggested to the Jubilee partners to use buoys for the demarcation as that is visible. The forum was jointly organised by the Friends of the Nation (FON) a Takoradi based NGO on the environment, Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) for fisherfolks, traditional rulers, civil society and representatives of coastal communities along the Jubilee filed in the Western Region. The forum aimed at discussing and collating inputs from the participants to be factored in the petroleum, exploration and production bill for review of some inconsistencies before presentation to parliament for debate and passing into law. It was held on the theme �Contributing to Oil/Gas Governance getting the Laws Right�. Mr Kennedy Nunoo, Communication Officer of Tullow Oil Limited told the GNA that red flags had been installed at the exclusive zone at sea to warn fishermen of the facilities ahead therefore the claim by the fishermen is untenable. The jubilee partners include Tullow Ghana, major operators, Kosmos Energy, Ghana National Petroleum Company, Anadarko Petroleum and Petro S.A. Mr Kwaku Kyei, an executive member of the FON said the organisers of the programme would engage the parliamentary Select Committee on Mines/Energy for discussion on the subject matter before debate on the bill starts. Dr Mohammed Anim Adam, Executive Director of the ACEP underscored the need for Ghana to learn from successful oil producing countries in vital areas such as environmental management, usage of the oil revenue, regulation on the oil/gas contract and transparency/accountability.