Mr Alfred Ayah, the Western Regional Coordinator of Petroleum Commission (PC) has urged farmers in the oil producing areas in the region to endeavour to produce quality food crops to meet the demands of the international market.

He said the current crops being produced by farmers were bad and this had resulted in some expatriates operating from the Jubilee Field to import vegetables and meat products from Cote d'ivoire and South Africa.

Mr Ayah who was speaking at a public forum organised by the Ministry of Petroleum in collaboration with the Petroleum Commission as part of its Community Sensitisation exercise in the four Coastal Districts of Ghana's oil and gas enclave held at Half Assini.

The aim of the forum is to educate the citizenry on the Local Content Law to enable them take advantage of the opportunities available to improve upon their lots.

The Local Content Law among other things give priority to Ghanaian indigenes over their foreign counterparts in all spheres of endeavour of the oil and gas industry.

Mr Ayah indicated that the Commission would not hesitate to stop the expatriates from importing the items if food being produced locally were of good quality.

The District Chief Executive, Mr George William Somiah, said the Jubilee Partners namely: Tullow, GNPC, KOSMOS Energy and Eni Foundation were providing social interventions in the area in terms of educational and health facilities as well as the road network, since Ghana's discovery of oil in larger quantity some six years ago.

Mr Somiah assured the citizenry of their fair share from the oil and gas industry.

The forum was attended by more than 174 participants drawn from community based organisations, fishermen, traditional rulers and the public.

During an open forum session, some of the participants expressed concern about the high cost of LPG in the country as compared to nearby Cote d' Ivoire and inadequate street lights in the oil enclave communities in the area.

Similar programmes would be held at Ellembele, Nzema East and Ahanta West Municipal and District Assemblies.

GNA