Chiefs and people in Prestea Huni-Valley District of the Western Region have threatened to boycott all electioneering activities in the 2020 general election if the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo fails to redeem its campaign promise to revive the defunct Prestea Sankofa Gold Limited (PSGL).
In a petition dated Saturday, July 7, 2017, and signed by the leadership of Prestea Communicators for Development (PCD) on behalf of chiefs and people of Prestea, it expressed worry over the government’s seeming silence over the state of PSGL, which was virtually collapsing.
The petition, which has been submitted to President Akufo-Addo, according to the petitioners, was copied to Prestea Huni-Valley District Chief Executive, Chief Executive Officer of National Petroleum Corporation, Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan Traditional Area, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Western Regional Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.
The petitioners explained that PSGL employs close to 300 direct workers, and over 500 indirect workers and contractors. It said the company has suffered a massive blow due to mismanagement and other factors.
According to the petitioners, President Akufo-Addo, the then flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in August 2016, in his campaign tour at Prestea, was briefed about the situation, which he promised the people of Prestea that when given the nod, he will revive the company. They argued that on April 15, 2017, two deputy Ministers of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Benito Owusu Bio, and Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, visited the company.
During their visit, the petitioners noted that the two also promised to send the information back to the President, but nearly three months from then, no concrete “information with regard to reviving the company has been issued by the government or GNPC, which the company is affiliated to.
The petitioners indicated that several communiqués and press releases, including going to the head office of Economic and Organised Crime Organisation (EOCO) has all been pursued by Prestea Communicators for Development, yet, “we are shocked that officialdom at the Presidency or Ministry or GNPC have turned a blind eye to all the information at their disposal.”
Currently, the petitioners noted that Prestea was battling with huge unemployment problems, as it was manifested by the recent illegal gold mining pit disaster at Prestea Nsuta, which killed 22 miners.
The petitioners stressed that the PSGL was a hope for the people, and if nothing was done immediately, Prestea was going to suffer a lot. “We are appealing to the President, H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to fulfill his promise to the people of Prestea or we will not vote in the 2020 general election, the petitioners warned.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
