President Mahama's written directive confirms 5,000 hectares for Petroleum Hub – PHDC CEO
The Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation, Dr Toni Aubynn, has defended the Lands Commission's decision on the gazetted land size for the project, insisting that the 12,365 acres indicated in the Declaration of Intent aligns with President John Dramani Mahama's public statement and directive to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in December 2025.
In a social media post on Saturday, June 6, 2026, Dr Aubynn clarified that the declaration of 5,000 hectares as the new land size for the project was based on a letter from the President to the Lands Minister, directing the minister to commence the acquisition of 5,000 hectares.
Claims of presidential error 'unusual'
He described as "unusual" claims suggesting that President Mahama erred when he announced 5,000 hectares as the new land size during his engagement with the Western Regional House of Chiefs on 30th July 2025.
"His Excellency the President addressed the Western Regional House of Chiefs, announcing a reduction in the land size to 5,000 hectares. This was subsequently followed by a directive to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, confirmation by the Lands Commission, and a duly gazetted Declaration of Intent to acquire the specified land area," Dr Aubynn stated.
"It is unusual for anyone to suggest that His Excellency the President made an error when communicating with the Chiefs and writing to the PHDC."
Call to remove obstacles
Dr Aubynn urged the public to desist from comments or actions that could further hinder the project and called on Ghanaians, particularly the people of Jomoro, to regard the project as a priority for their area.
"Let's refrain from creating unnecessary obstacles for this project. Our priority should be the development of Jomoro and Ghana. Let's move forward," he said.
Ongoing acquisition process
Meanwhile, the Lands Commission and the PHDC continue to collaborate on the acquisition of the land earmarked for the project. The ongoing activities are premised on a presidential written directive to the Ministries of Lands and Energy during which the President instructed that the process for the acquisition of 12,365 acres of land should be expedited.
When completed, the Petroleum Hub project is expected to create over 700,000 jobs and secure the country's energy future. The project, located in the Jomoro area of the Western Region, is designed to position Ghana as a key player in the downstream petroleum sector within the West African sub-region.