The Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) has engaged civil society organisations to strengthen stakeholder understanding and support for the proposed Petroleum Hub project.
The engagement formed part of efforts to promote dialogue on the project’s potential to enhance energy security, create employment and support Ghana’s industrialisation agenda.
Dr Toni Aubynn, Chief Executive Officer of PHDC, speaking at a strategic meeting in Accra, said the scale of the Petroleum Hub project required broad stakeholder involvement to ensure its success.
He said the Corporation had already engaged traditional authorities, youth groups, local communities and Parliament as part of efforts to build consensus around the project.
“We cannot undertake a project like this alone. It must be inclusive,” he said.
The meeting brought together representatives from more than 25 civil society organisations and provided a platform for discussions between PHDC management and civil society actors on the progress and strategic importance of the project.
Dr Aubynn said the engagement was intended to brief civil society organisations on developments surrounding the project, clarify outstanding concerns and receive feedback from stakeholders.
“We want to establish a bond with them because they are neutral stakeholders whose perspectives can help strengthen the project,” he added.
Dr Aubynn said although many of the concerns raised during the discussions were generally supportive of the project, some participants expressed concerns about land acquisition and compensation for affected landowners.
He said compensation was a legal requirement under Ghana’s land acquisition laws and would be addressed by the Government.
Dr Aubynn said different compensation models could be explored to address the concerns of landowners, including equity participation arrangements or partial upfront payments with the remaining balance paid as the project progressed.
He said the Petroleum Hub project would stimulate development within the enclave through improved infrastructure such as schools, healthcare facilities and road networks.
According to him, the employment opportunities expected to be created by the project would also improve livelihoods in surrounding communities and attract additional businesses to the area.
He said this could include coconut processing ventures and other agribusiness activities that would benefit from the growth of the industrial enclave.
Dr Aubynn said the Corporation’s immediate priority was to secure land for the project, explaining that investor participation would increase significantly once the issue of land acquisition was resolved.
He said the Government had reduced the land requirement for the project from 20,000 acres to 13,000 acres following directives from President John Dramani Mahama.
Dr Aubynn said the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr John Jinapor, and the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, were supporting efforts to expedite the land acquisition process.
He explained that the reduction in the size of land required meant compensation figures had to be recalculated.
The estimated compensation currently stands at about GH¢900 million, which is equivalent to approximately 100 million dollars.
Dr Aubynn expressed optimism that the land acquisition process would be largely resolved by June this year to enable preparatory work on the project to begin before the end of 2026.
“Our biggest challenge is land acquisition but once we cross that hurdle, we can begin to attract the investors who are already showing interest,” he said.
He added that the entire Petroleum Hub project was expected to be implemented over a period of about 10 years.
Dr Benjamin Nsiah, Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Management, said land acquisition remained the most critical requirement for the project to move forward.
“Without land, you cannot start investment,” he said.
Dr Nsiah urged the Government to prioritise funding to compensate landowners and secure the required land for the project.
He suggested that at least GH¢600 million should be provided in future national budgets to facilitate land acquisition and support investor engagement.
The proposed Petroleum Hub project, which will be located in the Western Region, is expected to develop into a major petroleum and petrochemical industrial enclave aimed at boosting Ghana’s energy capacity and supporting long-term economic growth.
