Ghana’s Petroleum Hub to create 780,000 jobs
Ghana’s Petroleum Hub to create 780,000 jobs.
Dr. Tony Aubynn, Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC), has announced that Ghana’s ambitious Petroleum Hub Project is set to create over 780,000 jobs once the first phase is completed.
Speaking on Hot Issues on TV3 with Keminni Amanor on Sunday, October 5, Dr. Aubynn said the project represents a major milestone in Ghana’s energy and industrial transformation.
“Funds for phase one have been secured; the only hurdle is the land acquisition. Government will compensate after the land has been legally acquired,” he disclosed.
Dr. Aubynn emphasized that the Petroleum Hub Project will avoid the pitfalls of Ghana’s earlier “oil city” experience, ensuring that the benefits of development reach the local people directly.
“The Petroleum Hub project will not repeat the ‘oil city’ failures. Infrastructure will directly benefit the indigenes. Some of them will be working there,” he said.
He explained that Ghana currently imports about 85% of its petroleum products, a dependency the hub seeks to reduce by building local refining and processing capacity.
“We consume 85% of petroleum from imports. Why don’t we create our own petroleum to reduce imported ones?” he asked.
According to Dr. Aubynn, the Petroleum Hub is expected to boost Ghana’s economy by up to 70% when fully operational. The first phase alone will require about 3,000 hectares of land, which will be developed into a fully integrated township supporting industrial, residential, and social infrastructure.
“We need about 3,000 hectares of land for phase one. We’re looking at creating a township,” he noted.
In total, the hub will occupy 13,000 acres, with an additional 6,000 acres preserved for environmental protection and tourism development.
“The entire project will sit on 13,000 acres, and the remaining 6,000 acres will be protected and used for tourism,” Dr. Aubynn explained.
Addressing concerns from residents of Jomoro, where the project is sited, Dr. Aubynn assured that the government has no intention of displacing or dispossessing locals.
“The intention is not to deprive the people of Jomoro of their lands. We want to develop the place into a higher-value economic activity that will benefit the people of the area,” he stressed.
Dr. Aubynn reiterated that once land ownership issues are fully resolved, the project will move swiftly into implementation, setting Ghana on course to become a key petroleum and energy hub in West Africa.
