An oil production vessel is approached by a traditional fishing canoe. Image by John Soper. Ghana, 2015
Labor Disputes, Local Concerns Prevent Ghanaian Oil from Helping Ghanaians
Oil was discovered only eight years ago in Ghana, and now its oil and gas industry is one of the most productive in West Africa and its new prosperity has been expected to fuel growth in the Ghanaian economy.
Yet, so far, the oil industry has failed to live up to the Ghanaian citizens’ expectations for economic development, fairness to workers, and good relations with local fishermen.
“The biggest problem we have is the salaries are not uniform. The salaries are very bad,” said Fusseini Iddrisu, the General-Secretary of the GTPCWU (General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union). “We want to work out a system with the authorities to have a common salary regime across the board so the workers are paid the same for the same job.”
Davidson College student fellow John Soper explores the oil industry in Ghana. See more here.