Cape Coast, March 11, GNA - Divisional Officer 1 Anthony Donkor of the Cape Coast office of the Ghana National Fire Service, on Wednesday called on the government to provide well equipped fire stations to protect the fledgling oil industry.

He expressed concern that the Cape Three Point oil field has no fire station, saying the situation has serious implications on lives and property in case of disaster. Mr Donkor made the call at a public consultation forum organised by the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) in Cape Coast to solicit public views on how to manage the oil revenue.

He said the nearest fire station to the oil field was 20 miles away. Reacting to the concerns, the Lead Geophysicist of GNPC, Mr. Benjamin Kwame Asante pointed out that safety measures including a-state- of-the-art fire fighting equipment have been provided at the oil field. Speaking on the topic: "Ghana's Oil and Gas Industry," he said the Odum, Sankofa, Tweneboah and Dzata fields, brought to 12 the country's oil fields.

Mr. Asante said government would focus on the use of Ghanaian local expertise, goods, services as well as businesses and financing for the country to derive the maximum benefit from the oil industry. He gave the assurance that government is promoting the interest of Ghanaian citizens in the management of the petroleum resources and its operations and is therefore establishing a body responsible for overseeing and regulating the activities of the sector. Mr. Asante said government had put in place a management team to ensure proper disbursement of the oil revenue to be accrued. Dr. Joe Amoako Tuffuor, Advisor, MOFEP said oil and gas extraction had its attendant hazards but expressed optimism that Ghana would harness the resources judiciously. He said the country would put in place tight security and proper disbursement of the revenue. Dr. Tuffuor urged the public not to direct all its attention on the oil and gas industry but also on agriculture, which he said was an equally lucrative venture that could generate employment and ensure food security. 11 March 10