Ellembelle: The Friends of the Nation (FoN), an environmental NGO, along with the Ellembelle District Assembly, have engaged with the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) Limited concerning their operations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. The aim of this engagement was to bridge the communication gap between the company and the local communities to enhance industrial peace and harmony through streamlined CSR roles.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. William Augustine-Denkyi, a Project Officer with FoN, shared insights during a stakeholder engagement meeting held at Aiyinasi in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region. The meeting saw participation from officials of Ghana Gas, the Ellembelle District Assembly, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), community members, and media representatives. This engagement provided a platform for Ghana Gas and stakeholders, especially the host communities, to discuss operations and address issues affecting the communities. It also aimed to foster partnerships and good relations between Ghana Gas and community members.
Mr. Augustine-Denkyi urged Ghana Gas officials to organize town hall meetings and sensitization events to bring the company's activities closer to the communities. Mr. John Quarshie, Officer in Charge of CSR at Ghana Gas, outlined various projects, services, and activities undertaken by the company in the area. He emphasized Ghana Gas's commitment to managing community impact by organizing community events and designing a complaints and grievance management procedure. The company has also made compensation payments to affected community members and conducted sensitization exercises and media engagements.
In education, Mr. Quarshie highlighted that scholarship packages have been disbursed to numerous students pursuing tertiary education, among other community intervention projects. Mr. Theophilus Tamatey-Agbo, Planning Officer of the District, stated that the Assembly would collaborate with Ghana Gas on their medium-term development plan to ensure the necessary projects are implemented in the respective communities. He praised Ghana Gas for their contributions to the district through major social interventions aimed at improving the lives of the residents.
