The Movement for the Resurrection of Abandoned Projects (MRAP), a pressure group in the Western Region, has called on the government to reactivate abandoned projects in the region.
The movement said though the region contributes immensely to the economic growth of the nation in terms of its abundant resources including cocoa it is the least developed region in the country.
Addressing a press conference in Takoradi on Tuesday Mr Abraham Kojo Yalley, the leader of the MRAP, mentioned some of the abandoned projects as the Bonsa Tyre factory, Aboso Glass Factory and the Esiama Oil Mills.
Mr Yalley said the movement entertained fears that the abandoned projects, whose reactivation has been on the drawing board for quite a long period, would not be executed because Mr Emmauel Armah Kofi Buah, MP for
Ellembelle and the Deputy Minister of Energy, refused to make any comment when the issue was raised at separate forums held in parts of the region.
He said prior to the discovery of oil, the government had planned to establish a refinery at Pumpuni to refine oil from Equatorial Guinea to
enable Ghana to become exporter of refined oil.
"Therefore, if oil has indeed been discovered close to the proposed oil refinery, it should rather encourage government to expedite action to build the refinery rather than to discontinue its plan."
"What surprises many is the region is that the land for the project has been acquired, paid for and the chiefs and people in the area compensated and wondered what is preventing the government from executing the project."
Mr Yalley said the region has for years been neglected in development and it was time they drew government's attention for it to have its fair share of the national cake.
"We would not sit down for such an important and strategic project to slip through our hands this time around," he said.
Mr Yalley called on all influential people in the region, paramount chiefs, MPs, District Chief Executives, teachers, organized groups and youth leaders to speak out and ensure that the projects take off.
He said posterity would never forgive them if they fail in their duty to see to the reactivation of the projects.