Communities in the coastal districts of the Western Region are watching broadcasts of the on-going FIFA World Cup in communal style.
This was made possible through the donation of giant television sets to 17 communities by Tullow and its partners in the Jubilee field project.
As part of its social responsibility commitment to the communities within which they are operating, the Jubilee partnership, comprising Tullow Oil, Kosmos Energy, Anadarko, Sabre Oil, EO Group and Ghana National
Petroleum Company, has launched an initiative involving the installation of 47-inch LCD screens in selected coastal towns hooked to a year-long
pre-paid premium class subscription for direct satellite television.
Most of the 17 screens were mounted in town halls and village community centres across six coastal districts in the Western Region namely Shama, Ahanta West, Nzema East, Ellembele, Jomoro and the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.
Each community viewing centre was also furnished with a set of 200 chairs for the use by the audience.
Special handing over ceremonies were held for the various viewing centres just before the start of the tournament over the weekend at Aboadze and Sopumu Dunkwaw in the Shama District, Dixcove and Agona Nkwanta in the Ahanta West District, Apewosika and the District auditorium in the Axim District, Asiama and Ayinase in the Ellembele District and at the Sekondi Youth Centre in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis
On behalf of the partnership, Okyeame Ampadu Adjei, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager of Tullow Ghana Limited said the facilities have not been donated to the communities just for the purpose of the World
Cup tournament but are intended to serve both recreational and educational purposes for adults as well as students.
"They are particularly meant to enhance the local peoples' access to news and information," he stressed.
He said the partnership would, on regular basis, use the viewing centres as a platform to facilitate its community engagement initiatives and to communicate relevant information about its operations and significant developments in the Jubilee field project.
Okyeame Adjei, said the decision to donate giant TV screens to the communities emerged out of close consultations and collaboration with local stakeholders, including the various district assemblies.
"This project is a small component of our broader CSR campaign which will soon incorporate the creation of a permanent forum for community
engagement, consultation and information disclosure.
"We will soon establish special engagement and consultation offices within the communities. This is the beginning of a life-long collaboration and we do hope that you will take good care of the facilities"', Okyeame Ampadu said.