Ghana’s energy sector will drive economy – Buah

Nkroful (W/R), Sept. 30, GNA - Government intends to use the energy sector as a springboard to develop other sectors of the economy, Mr Armah Kofi Buah, Minister of Energy and Petroleum, has stated.       “The energy sector needs to be expanded to serve as the backbone of the country’s industrialization process,” he added.          Mr Buah was speaking at a durbar to celebrate this year’s World and National Tourism Day at Nkroful in the Ellembele District of the Western Region at the weekend. The celebration was under the theme: “Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future”.       Mrs. Matlida Amissah-Arthur, the Second Lady and Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjaye, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, members of Parliament and Diplomatic Corps were among the large number of people who graced the occasion.       Mr. Buah said the tourism sector must take advantage of the numerous oil and gas projects in order to strengthen its position as a critical sector of the economy.       He said the hospitality industry could take advantage of the oil and gas projects to expand and create jobs for the country’s teeming youth.        He said the three members of Parliament from Nzema had formed a committee to join forces to develop the tourism potentials of their areas.       Mr. Ebenezer Teye Addo, Western Regional Minister, expressed concern about the use of chemicals for fishing in the region.       He added that “Galamsey” activities had led to the pollution of major river bodies in the region including the Ankobra, Pra, Bonsa and Tano rivers.       Mr. Addo said: “It is the duty of everybody, therefore, to act and prevent all these happenings in order to protect these endowments for posterity and to preserve them as tourist sites”.       He said: “We must not look on unconcerned and allow few people and their collaborators to hold all of us to ransom”.       Mr. Addo advised the people of Nzulezo to observe good sanitation practices to prevent the outbreak of epidemics.       Mr. Daniel Eshun, District Chief Executive for Ellembele, suggested the Founder’s Day should be celebrated at Nkroful and the occasion used to portray the works and achievements of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.       He said the burial place of Dr. Nkrumah at Nkroful had become a shadow of its former self and the district assembly was collaborating with a private partner to restore and beautify the place.

GNA