Ellembelle: Communities in the catchment area of ENi Ghana, an oil and gas operator located at Sanzule near Eikwe in the Ellembelle District, have been engaged on the impact of the company's operations. This engagement is part of efforts to streamline ENi Ghana's operations by fostering closer collaboration and partnership between the company and the local communities, particularly Sanzule, where the project is based.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative involved a joint monitoring team from the Ellembelle District Assembly, National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Friends of the Nation (FoN), and OXFAM International. The team met with the communities of old Bakanta and Sanzule to assess the operational impact of ENi Ghana and address concerns from the communities, especially those related to the site's oil and gas explorations.
The two-day event gathered responses from community members and traditional leaders. Key issues raised included the need for ENi Ghana to construct the road from old Bakanta to Sanzule, build drainage systems in Sanzule to prevent flooding, mitigate heat waves in the area, and adhere to the local content policy by ensuring employment quotas for local residents, particularly those from Sanzule.
Mr. William Augustine-Denkyi, a Project Officer with FoN, emphasized that the team would act as an interface to engage both the communities and ENi Ghana. Their goal is to develop strategies on how ENi Ghana's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives have impacted the communities and to strengthen the relationship between the company and the local populations.
Nana Kemese, Manle Kpanyinli of Sanzule, urged ENi Ghana to address the town's flooding issues by constructing roads with gutters. He noted that while the town has several concerns, they have not been adequately addressed by the company. He also pointed out that Ghana Gas had addressed issues in other towns but not in Sanzule, as the responsibility was perceived to fall under ENi's operations.
Furthermore, Manle Kpanyinli Kemese expressed concerns about the intense heat resulting from ENi's activities and reiterated the importance of respecting the local content policy. He voiced frustration over the lack of employment opportunities for the youth in Sanzule, emphasizing the need for the company to fulfill its commitments to the community.