Mr. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Minister of Energy has said that the vigorous expansion of various energy programmes is to increase power production as well as support the growth and expansion of all the weak sectors of the national economy.

He said government is rolling-out the various programmes and projects, particularly in the Western Region, as part of the energy expansion drive -- which is geared toward positioning the sector to play the critical role expected for directing Ghana’s effort toward industrialisation.

Speaking at the World Tourism Day at Nkroful in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, he noted that the country’s oil and gas sector is currently underdeveloped.

“The sector will be used as a catalyst to deal with the challenges facing weak sectors of the national economy in terms of energy requirement in order to spark growth and create the necessary jobs required by the teeming unemployed youth of the country,” he said.

According to him, the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities on the Western Region culminated in an influx of people -- the stage is set for integrated tourism development in the region, so that instead of a potential threat from oil and gas activity to our environment, oil and gas activities will be made conducive to our situation and be a blessing to our environment.

“We wish to assure you that we will pursue sustainable environmental tourism where socio-economic development lives in harmony with a clean environment for the preservation of biodiversity,” he added

This, the minister noted, calls for capacity building activities including effective conservation of our forest and water resources, and developing the historic places into great tourism sites.

Also, he said, it is important to build human resources in the area so that the people, especially the youth and all Ghanaians who possess the requisite skills, will be absorbed into the oil and gas tourism sectors -- this will then become the new growth pole of Ghana.

“The contribution of energy to the expansion of strategic areas of the economy, including tourism, will soon be realised by Ghanaians – an expanded energy sector will support the hospitality industry which includes hotels, restaurants and other important establishments required to drive the tourism sector in the country, he said.