Tullow Ghana’s commitment to the communities in which it operates has been a key feature of its operations since oil production commenced in 2010.
As a leading oil and gas company in West Africa, the company believes that creating impact and value in its key communities elevate its social licence to operate. After all, what is the point of it all, if the essence of oil and gas operations is not seen and felt by the people and the environment.
Since 2010, Tullow has deployed a variety of social initiatives to bring benefits to the people and communities living around its area of influence.
Driving through some of the towns near Ghana’s oil hub—like Axim, lower and upper Dixcove, or Takoradi—the evidence of these investments is visible. Tullow has supported students with scholarships, built and upgraded school buildings, and invested in the livelihoods of farmers and fishers. These efforts may not always make the headlines, but they are making a difference in real communities.
“Oil can be a blessing or a burden,” one local teacher in the lower Dixcove part of Axim recently said during a recent engagement session. “But when companies like Tullow actually listen to us, it starts to feel like a blessing.”
One of the powerful tools Tullow has deployed as part of its business operations strategy is dialogue. The company understands that trust must not be assumed, and especially operating in an area like the Western region, listening is everything.
Recently, Tullow and its partners held meetings across several towns in the Western Region as part of an annual stakeholder management strategy. It brought together chiefs, municipal executives, regulators, civil society, the Marine Police, and everyday citizens. They shared updates on operations and heard feedback from the people who live near the oil fields.
The conversations were open and frank: from offshore safety to economic empowerment, from canoe incursions in restricted zones to education for children. Tullow believes that these interactions go a long way in defusing tension and building collective ownership.
Tullow’s Managing Director in Ghana, Jean-Médard Madama, often says the company wants to be a trusted partner in the country’s development. That means staying present, being open, and doing more than what is required.
“We regard these engagements as part of our social licence to operate,” said Tullow’s Social Performance Manager, Edmund Fiifi Enchill. “When traditional leaders and municipal authorities help us spread the word, or the community embrace our impact and what we stand for, the benefits are sustainable.”
Ghana’s oil sector currently contributes over 6% to national GDP. Tullow with its partners GNPC, Kosmos Energy, Explorco and Petro SA, have invested over $23 billion into Ghana’s Jubilee and TEN fields—and delivered over $9 billion in revenue to the state.
They have also contributed over $52 million to host communities in areas such as education, healthcare, alternative livelihoods, and environmental programs. Of this, Tullow alone has invested more than $24 million in standalone projects focused on education and alternative livelihoods.
Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX, Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove traditional council reflects on Tullow’s impact in Ghana since inception in 2006. He has been a traditional chief for close to four decades in the area.
“Tullow’s presence has been very significant here. I was a traditional leader when they arrived on these shores. They have been very supportive of our community activities and have kept us informed about their operations all the time. Transparency is key in such engagements and Tullow does very well.”
It’s always a balancing act, and not every company gets it right. But Tullow and partners are bent on making it count in Ghana. They continue to keep their focus on embedding trust, transparency, and people-first thinking into their strategy to unlock a new era of energy security that translates into a better future for Ghana.
And in a world where energy news headlines are sometimes dominated by issues of uncertainty, market challenges and a drift to green energy, what Tullow and partners are doing (showing that oil can bring lasting value) might just be the kind of story people want to hear.
