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Ghana’s fishing communities fear oil spills…

…And rightly so.

Yesterday I wrote that Ghana has been producing oil from its offshore Jubilee field since December 2010, yet still lacks monitoring vessels, equipment and personnel.

Something else that’s missing: funds to compensate fishing communities in the event of a spill.

This video recounts the fears of the residents of Abuesi, a small fishing community near Sekondi-Takorad (a.k.a. “Oil City”). Travel up and down the coast, and you’ll hear the same fears echoed again and again.

What will happen when a village that is entirely dependent on its fishing operations for its survival is shut down by an oil spill?

(more…)

Is Ghana really ready for oil?

Is Ghana ready for an oil disaster? It’s difficult to find officials who want to talk about the subject. Most prefer saying things like, “We learned many lessons from the Deepwater Horizon spill,” and, “It can’t happen here.” Truth is (and everyone knows this), a disaster can strike anywhere.

Ghana has been producing oil from its offshore Jubilee field since December 2010, yet still lacks monitoring vessels, equipment and personnel. The country has an “oil spill response plan” — on paper — but could Ghana actually respond to and deal with a significant oil spill?

This video and a new article published today on iwatch news explore the state of Ghana’s environmental regulation and emergency preparedness.

(more…)

Bonga spill investigation ordered

When will protection of the environment become a priority? Photo: Christiane Badgley

The Nigerian government has mandated an investigation into the cause and effect of the Bonga oil spill on December 20th.

An NGO has also raised questions regarding Shell’s use of dispersants without any monitoring or assessment plan.

Fishermen are blaming the spill for a dwindling fish supply and rising prices.

Meanwhile, Shell is moving ahead with its plans to drill in the Arctic waters off Alaska.

 

 


    Oil...A Pipeline to Prosperity?

    Oil…A Pipeline to Prosperity?

    I have produced a short film for PBS/Frontline World to mark the 10th anniversary of World Bank engagement in the Chad-Cameroon Oil Development and Pipeline Project. The film, “Cameroon: Pipeline to Prosperity?” revisits the story of the “model” oil for development project. Ten years ago the oil companies and the World Bank promised that this project would break the resource curse and prove to the world that oil could be a force for good…

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