Executive Summary :

The discovery of oil and gas along the coastline of Ghana’s Western Region in June 2007 was viewed as a means for the state to generate revenues that could be used to address the country’s development needs. The inhabitants of the Western Region in particular believed that the generated revenues would be used to tackle some of the region’s developmental setbacks. However, to date these expectations have not been realised. For progress to be made in this regard, it is important that local stakeholders are engaged effectively. Ghana’s government needs to actively engage the youth and people of the Western Region and understand their lost livelihoods, and draw up an action plan for making the people employable again. Such action could help considerably in curtailing agitation and conflict in the area.

By J o a n a   A m a      O s e i – T u t u