Tullow Ghana Limited (TGL), operator of the Jubilee and TEN fields, is embarking on the first phase of community engagements with stakeholders in its area of influence to foster greater cooperation with stakeholders. This is in line with the company and its partners’ commitment to maintaining a secured environment within its operational areas.
The company is undertaking a four-week engagement exercise with members of fishing communities in the Ahanta West Municipality and Shama district located in the Western Region of Ghana to provide sensitisation on the upcoming offshore installation work to be conducted as part of the Jubilee south-east expansion project.
The meetings are ongoing at selected locations in the region and scheduled to end on 7th April 2023. The engagement will also bring together the Ghana National Canoe Owners and Fishermen, fishmongers, representatives from the security services (Ghana Navy, Marine Police, Fisheries Commission), the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and the traditional authorities, to discuss the company’s safety measures, regulations and policies regarding the mitigation of risks and management of potential impacts; especially those that could emanate from offshore during the subsea installation works that are due to commence in the Jubilee south-east field.
The highlights of discussions include offshore security measures, JSE development, voluntary principles and human rights, the significance of Navy-fisherman communication, safe sea access, issues on incursion rates (operational updates), the application of maritime laws to recalcitrant fishermen by the Ghana Marine Police, grievance redress mechanisms, socioeconomic Investment, and impact mitigation initiatives.
Stakeholders, particularly fisherfolks who have participated so far, have reaffirmed their commitment to reducing incursions – emphasising the need to safeguard offshore assets. Generally, the communities engaged so far have agreed to support the regulatory bodies – particularly the Fisheries Enforcement Unit by reporting recalcitrant persons involved in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and those that are found culpable of encroaching into the Exclusive Zone (EZ) of the company’s operations.
As a member of the community, TGL’s projects and programmes have yielded positive success stories. Flagship interventions such as Fisherman’s Anchor, Scholar’s Aid, Free SHS project, Educate to Innovate with STEM, kindergartens and the livelihood projects have been lauded by stakeholders as being immensely helpful to them, hence encouraging Tullow and its partners to continue such projects.
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