The Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) is preparing to introduce a greenhouse vegetable farming initiative aimed at creating employment opportunities and developing young agricultural entrepreneurs in the Western Region.
Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, Ms Judith Adjobah Blay, said the initiative would begin with pilot projects in the Ellembelle District and Sekondi before being expanded across the Western Region next year.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement with local leaders and media representatives, she said the programme forms part of the company’s social responsibility commitments to communities affected by its operations and projects.
Ms Blay explained that the initiative was designed to move beyond conventional community support programmes by equipping young people to engage in commercial agriculture and establish their own businesses.
She said Ghana Gas wanted to help reduce unemployment by creating opportunities for young men and women to become farmers and entrepreneurs.
The initiative has received support from the Western Regional Minister, who has endorsed efforts to accelerate youth-focused agricultural interventions in the region.
The company is expected to use the pilot phase to establish the programme before considering its expansion to other communities.
Ghana Gas Explains Delays in Project Execution
The CEO also addressed concerns about delays in implementing some company projects, attributing the time required for execution partly to statutory procurement and approval procedures governing public institutions.
She explained that the approval of a project in an agency’s budget does not automatically permit the immediate commencement of physical works.
According to her, projects must pass through the required commitment authorisation process and obtain the necessary approvals from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), including competitive tendering and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) processes where applicable.
Ms Blay said the procedures could take up to six months for a project to progress through the necessary stages.
She maintained that Ghana Gas must comply with the applicable laws and regulations to avoid audit queries and potential scrutiny by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
While acknowledging the need to improve the speed of project delivery, she said the company could not disregard the statutory requirements governing public expenditure.
Her comments highlight the challenge public institutions face in balancing compliance with procurement regulations against the need to deliver projects promptly.
Media Engagements to Become More Frequent
As part of efforts to improve transparency and public understanding of its activities, Ms Blay announced plans to increase media engagements from once a year to twice annually.
She encouraged journalists to contact the company for clarification and verification whenever questions arise about its projects, operations or other activities.
She said the company’s open-door policy was intended to promote accurate reporting and strengthen the relationship between Ghana Gas and the media.
The greenhouse farming initiative, she added, reflects the company’s broader commitment to supporting communities in its operational areas through employment creation and economic opportunities.
Story by Osman Issah
