The lead operator of the Jubilee and TEN oil fields, Tullow Oil Ghana, has assured Ghanaians of its continued dedication to developing the country’s oil and gas assets in a safe and sustainable manner for the benefit of all stakeholders.
According to the company, it is still committed to its Ghana Value Maximisation plan which is aimed at investing US$4.4billion in responsible operations over the next ten years, resulting in low-cost and capital-efficient operations that ensure the safety and well-being of its people while reducing environmental impact.
The Operations Manager of Tullow Ghana, Mr. Erwin Sergio Scherpenhuijzen, re-echoed this at the inauguration of a fully furnished new 16-unit dormitory block at Annor Adjaye Senior High School in the Nzema Area of the Western Region, which is the actualisation of its promise to support government’s Free SHS policy through infrastructure development.
He said quality education for all remains the pillar which is central to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting the critical role education plays in society.
“That is why in 2018, Tullow Ghana committed to investing US$10 million over five years in infrastructure development to support the government’s policy of providing free access to quality Senior High School education,” he said.
The support, he said, has already paid off with the completion of a 16-unit dormitory block at Nsein Senior High School and Sankor Senior High School in the Western Region and Nsutaman Senior High School in the Ashanti Region last year, which cumulatively houses well over 1500 students.
These additional infrastructure he said has helped to reduce overcrowding in the schools, and enhanced enrolment significantly, saying: “It is obvious that since the country’s independence, the Western Region has played an important role in its development.
He noted that the region contributed in the areas of agriculture (farming-fishing), mining, manufacturing, among others as its main economic activities.
The region’s economic contributions, he said, are visible and felt in almost every sector of the country’s development today. This 16-unit dormitory block will supplement the region’s existing educational infrastructure and benefit more than 500 students each year.
At the Annor Adjaye Senior High School, he said the facility would directly benefit 442 out of the more than 1,124 student population. “This well-spaced facility will empower the school to optimally accommodate day students or students who would have had to rent nearby hostel facilities, while preventing the spread of any virus.”
“Let me say, Tullow Ghana, as a company, is committed to high-level leadership, we see our Socio-Economic Investment strategy as critical to our success. Our priority areas of capacity-building through STEM education and skill development, bolstering local and national economies, and developing shared infrastructure will continue to guide all interventions we make in Ghana presently and in the future,” he said.
Mr. Scherpenhuijzen said it is Tullow’s fundamental principle that sustained hydrocarbon development will build a more prosperous social and economic future for the country.
Tullow Ghana, he said, would like to assure Ghanaians of its continued dedication to developing the country’s oil and gas assets safely and sustainably for the benefit of all stakeholders.
So far, he said the lead operator of the country’s two premier independent oil fields has delivered six fully furnished 16-unit dormitory blocks each with the capacity of 570 students.
It is estimated that the six fully furnished blocks with 3,420-bed-capacity have played a very significant role in supporting the country’s Free Senior High School policy.
The dormitory facilities are fitted with improved water supply system, electricity, modern toilet and bathrooms, box rooms, laundry area and dry lines, among others, to ensure that occupants have the perfect ambiance to rest and get ready for academic work.
The scope of work also covers the provision of a fully furnished bungalow for the resident housemasters/housemistress to enhance supervision and discipline. The project also comprises the construction of classroom blocks which are currently ongoing.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, commended Tullow Oil Ghana for its commitment to social investment programmes aimed at improving the lives of its host communities and contribution to national development.
The Western Regional Director of the Ghana Education Service, Mrs. Felicia Agyeibea Okai, said the completion and handing over symbolises the commitment of Tullow as a good corporate citizen to quality education delivery in the region and other parts of the country.
“Education, as we all know, is one of the important sectors for the socio-economic development of this country, and Tullow has been assisting this sector through the building of classrooms, dormitories blocks, and offering scholarships, among others.
