By P.K.Yankey
Esiama (W/R), Feb 21, GNA – Friends of the Nation (FoN), a Non- Governmental Organization (NGO) in collaboration with the Ellembelle District Assembly (EDA) has engaged the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) to review its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.
This they believe will accelerate development in the oil and gas enclave.
The engagement is in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on safe communities and inclusive society to spearhead growth and development in resource-rich areas of the country.
Mr William Augustine -Denkyi, a Project Officer with FoN, made this known during a report presentation on a review joint Monitoring of Selected Infrastructural Projects implemented by Ghana Gas in the Ellembelle District at Esiama in the Western Region.
The review followed the outcome of monitoring and evaluation of Ghana Gas CSR projects within 12 operational years after Ghana discovered oil and gas in commercial quantities.
It brought together Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), officials form the Ellembelle District Assembly, Traditional Rulers, Representative from the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Health Services, officials from Ghana Gas, women groups, and the media.
Mr Augustine -Denkyi said FoN, through the Ellembelle District Assembly, had engaged Ghana Gas on CSR in the last two years with the overall objective of monitoring, evaluating, and tracking the outcome of projects as well as best practices.
Outlining key indicators of CSR projects, he reminded the Ghana Gas Company to ensure communal participation, transparency, and accountability of executed projects.
Mr Augustine -Denkyi also asked for assessing the impacts of beneficiaries and how the projects promoted local economic development and inclusive growth.
Some of the findings during the joint inspection of the projects, were low participation of communities in CRS projects, poor maintenance of projects, community feedback mechanism of GGC and lack of openness, accountability, and transparency.
Giving major highlights of CSR initiatives, Mr John Quarshie an Officer in charge of CSR at Ghana Gas, said CSR initiatives ranged from sports, education, traditional council meetings,
support to farmers’ day celebrations, donation to Kundum festivals, construction of highways, urban and feeder roads.
The rest are renovation of 9-unit bedroom at marine police district, Aiyinasi, support to flood victims, concrete bridge as well as scholarship scheme to students in tertiary institutions in the Ellembelle District.
He said Ghana Gas had spent a total amount of GHc907,200.00 on 124 beneficiaries in tertiary institutions between 2022 and 2024.
Support to the Ellembelle District scholarship scheme to tertiary students in four years also amounted to GHc1,000.000.00.
Mr Theophilus Tamatey-Agbo District Planning Officer at the Ellembelle District Assembly, said the Assembly had started engaging other companies in the area to collaborate with them in terms of selection, implementation, and monitoring of projects.
He admitted that in the last 12 years, Ghana Gas had executed separate phases of projects.
The engagement recommended that companies in the area should open and involve the Assembly, communities and relevant stakeholders in decision making regarding project selection, design, and implementation.
“Companies must establish proper monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure projects are well executed.
Companies are therefore to be transparent and accountable to the people, “the planning officer pointed out.
GNA