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Members of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs (VRHC) have made a strong statement indicating that the people of the Volta Region, particularly the chiefs, are in no way against the people of the Western Region and their development aspirations.

According to the President of the House, Togbe Afede XIV, at no time did the chiefs in the region oppose the request by the chiefs and people of the Western Region for a 10 percent allocation of revenue from Ghana's crude oil to their region.

A recent report by citifmonline said Nana Kwesi Agyeman, Vice- President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, made the accusation against the Volta Region at a Public Interest and Accountability Forum.

The chief was also reported to have threatened that the Western Region would also oppose any such request by the Volta Region should crude oil be found there.

However, Togbe Afede said opposition to that request arose in Parliament and other forums for various reasons but not from the Volta Region.

He said the 'Volta Region would not oppose the interest of any region.

We will support any region that makes legitimate claims of what is due them in relation to their natural resources.'

He added that 'we support all things that are in the interest of the nation and not otherwise.'

The Paramount Chief of Avatime, Osie Adzatekpor, also stressed that 'the said allegation has never been discussed on the floor of this House,' and that it could have just been an isolated person who made such an irresponsible statement.

He cautioned the media to be circumspect in their reportage, adding that they must endeavour to put such comments in the proper context so as not to cast the entire region in bad light. He noted that 'for any issue to be associated to chiefs in the region or the House, then that issue must have been discussed or endorsed on the floor of the House.'

Ghana discovered oil in commercial quantities in 2008 offshore the Western Region and started exploration in 2010.

Currently, there are reports that the Volta Basin along Ada through to the Volta Region has traces of oil deposits. Experts are currently conducting further surveys to ascertain the quantity of the resource in the area.