Takoradi, Dec. 17, GNA - Mr Kobina Pra-Annan, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, has inaugurated the Western Regional branch of the Ghana Oil and Gas Service Providers Association (GOGSPA) at Takoradi.

He appealed to the members to sustain the association to prevent it from becoming a

"Nine day wonder" and from breaking up into splinter groups. Mr Pra-Annan, who represented the Western Regional Minister, urged t= he association to come out with ideas on how the region could use the oil find to speed up its development. He said the region had not been able to develop appreciably despite its numerous

natural resources and the same should not happen in the case of the oil find. Mr Musihu Obanikoro, the Nigerian High Commissioner in Ghana, spoke of the long

standing cordial relationship between Ghana and Nigeria and said it was m= ore than

"geographical expression of solidarity". He also spoke of Nigeria's experiences with the oil industry and suggested to the

government to allow greater participation of Ghanaians in the industry an= d to decide on how

revenue from the industry sould be shared to prevent conflicts. Mr Obanikoro said many of the conflicts on the continent arose out dissatisfaction with

the formula for sharing and controlling of mineral resources. He said the financial sector would need to be restructured to help Ghanaians to compete

in the country's oil industry and the major players in the industry shoul= d be effectively

monitored and supervised to ensure compliance "If the challenges besetting the local content initiative are tactfully looked into by the

government of Ghana, the nation's oil and gas sector will witness an exponential growth

which will help tremendously in poverty alleviation, development of key infrastructure and

above all, create political and economic stability." Mr William Kwame Agbesinyale, President of GOGSPA, said the aim of the=

association

was to help build and guard the nation so that the local content of the o= il discovery would not

become a curse as in other countries but a blessing. He said the association also aims at promoting local content by assisting in the training

and employment of the youth. Mr Agbesinyale urged the government, as a matter of urgency, to enac= t laws concerning

the local content that would guide the conduct of the players in the industry. He said the association was not affiliated to any political party an= d would support the

government of the day to ensure that the country moves forward in the pursuit of oil and gas

exploration, development and production.