VOLTA CHIEFS RESPOND TO WESTERN CHIEFS OVER 10% OIL REVENUE DEMANDS

Chiefs in the Region have described as unfounded a purported threats by chiefs in the Western Region to oppose their attempts to demand a percentage of the oil cash.

Contrary to reports that the chiefs in Volta were opposing their colleagues in the Western Region, the Volta chiefs said they would not hesitate to throw the weight behind any legitimate demand by any region for their share of the national revenue.

The President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs Togbui Afede XIV said his attention was drawn to the publication by some media houses demanding his take on the issue but he couldn’t because he was then tied up in a meeting.  He said ‘’we are worried about national interests and of course our own interest but not about individual regional matters. Besides we support any legitimate claims by any region for a share of what is exploited in their region’’.

He said although the demands of the Western Chiefs might be legitimate, the hues and cries over who supports or oppose who wouldn’t hold water since the ultimate decision lies with the Parliament of Ghana. He added the demands of the Western chiefs for an allocation of the oil cash have already sparked debates in Parliament with some MPs objecting it and that if these accusations are anything to go by, the chiefs of Volta Chiefs cannot influence the final position of the law making body in this case.

‘’ I have read various arguments from parliamentarians who have opposed to the giving of a share of the oil revenue for various reasons. And I don’t think Volta people have that power to influence a decision whether to give or not to give’’.

The chiefs also said such comments would not promote healthy relationship among the citizenry cautioned colleague chiefs to desist from comments that may appear provocative and inciting in order not to heat up the polity.

The Vice President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Kwesi Agyemang was said to have threatened to strongly oppose any attempt by chiefs in the Volta to demand their share of revenue from a likely exploration of oil reserves in the Volta Basin. According the chief his ‘’threat’’ was a reprisal to a purported objections by Volta chiefs to their demands.