The Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) has intensified efforts to build public trust and transparency around the Petroleum Hub project.
To this end, it is engaging Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the energy sector to deepen dialogue on its strategic importance to Ghana’s energy security, job creation, and industrialisation drive.
Speaking at the high-level stakeholder session in Accra on Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer of PHDC, Dr Toni Aubynn, described the engagement as the beginning of a sustained working relationship rather than a one-off consultation.
“No major national infrastructure project can succeed without public trust, transparency and continuous dialogue with the communities it serves,” he said.
The meeting brought together more than 25 CSOs in the energy and extractive sector to deliberate on transparency, environmental safeguards, compensation models, and long-term socio-economic impact.
Dr Aubynn disclosed that compensation for affected landowners was projected to cost between GH¢800 million and GH¢900 million following a reduction in the project’s land size from 20,000 acres to 13,000 acres (approximately 5,000 hectares).
He revealed that land acquisition remains the single biggest hurdle to unlocking full-scale investor inflows and indicated that PHDC had set an internal target to substantially resolve the land issue by June 2026.
“We are not saying the entire hub will be built this year. It is a 10-year project. But we believe the land acquisition barrier must be crossed before the end of the year,” he stated.
The CEO emphasised that compensation was not discretionary but a legal obligation under the country’s land acquisition laws.
“The question is not whether compensation will be paid. We are enjoined by law to do that. The issue is the model, whether phased payments, equity participation or structured disbursement,” he explained.
He added that government remained committed to ensuring affected indigenous landowners were compensated, noting that discussions were ongoing to remove bottlenecks delaying payments.
Dr Aubynn linked the urgency of the project to evolving geopolitical tensions and global petroleum price volatility, arguing that the country must strategically position itself to strengthen energy security.
He noted that Ghana’s current strategic petroleum reserves provide approximately five to six weeks of cover, describing it as reassuring but insufficient in the face of prolonged global disruptions.
“Imagine if we had five months of storage capacity. In times of global volatility, that would fundamentally change our economic positioning,” he remarked.
According to him, renewed investor interest had already been recorded, particularly in port infrastructure and tank farm development, as global investors seek stable destinations for capital.
“There is no shortage of investor interest, what is short is our readiness to admit them onto the land,” he said.
Beyond refineries and storage facilities, Dr Aubynn outlined plans for broader enclave development in Jomoro, including improved road networks, healthcare, schools, and employment opportunities.
He also hinted at exploring coconut processing and other agro-industrial linkages to complement petroleum operations in the predominantly agrarian enclave.
“Future generation investment is not just about putting money aside. It is about building infrastructure and opportunities that will endure,” he stressed.
Dr Aubynn assured that PHDC would align the project with global Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards through rigorous impact assessments, community engagement beyond compensation, local content development, and transparent governance systems.
He encouraged CSOs to challenge assumptions and hold the corporation to high standards, stating that trust could only be built through inclusion and participatory dialogue.
“We may not agree on everything, but we share a common goal, that this project must serve Ghana’s long-term public interest,” he added.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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