Government to establish oil services Port-President Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday announced that government in collaboration with London- based Lohnro Company would establish a new oil services Port in Takoradi. He said government would also expand the Aboadze thermal plant to cater for the energy needs of the people of the Western Region and beyond. President Mahama announced this when members of the standing committee of the Western Regional House of chiefs called on him at the Flagstaff House, Kanda. The chiefs were at the Presidency to thank President Mahama and his administration for embarking on major development projects in the region and to appeal for work to commence on other projects in the region. They were accompanied by Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Minister of Energy and Petroleum and Emelia Arthur, a Presidential Staffer. President Mahama said the project, which would be a collaboration with the London- based multiple business company in Africa, under the Public- Private Partnership project, would facilitate the movements of goods and services in the western corridor and the entire country. He said the Ghana Gas Project, which is currently under construction at Atuabo would soon be completed to stem the perennial gas challenges the country had experienced and gave the assurance that the completion of the project would also create numerous jobs for more Ghanaians. On roads, President Mahama announced that government had earmarked a total of $750 million for the improvement of roads in the country for the next four years, giving assurance that such improvements would help in the evacuation of foodstuff from the farming communities to urban and commercial centres. He said while government was working on the Sekondi/Takoradi- Awaso rail lines to revamp the railways and facilitate the movement of diamond and manganese, they were also considering offers for the construction of the lines up to Kumasi in the coming years. President Mahama promised to continue with the phase two of the Takoradi Port expansion programme to help importers to clear their goods at the port to Central, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and other nearby regions. Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX, Spokesperson of the delegation commended President Mahama for starting work on Agona-Nkwanta Elubo, Tarkwa-Prestea-Anyamfuri roads and the rehabilitation of the Takoradi Port and promised that they would continue to support him to execute those projects successfully. He appealed to President Mahama to also construct landing beaches at Axim, Dixcove and Shama as he promised during the 2012 campaigns. Nana Agyeman, who is also the paramount Chief of Dixcove, expressed regret that an individual had taken government to court on the construction of the Gas project and pledged the support of the House of chiefs to the Presidency to complete the project.