Oil boost night life in Takoradi

Night clubs in Ghana are setting the stage to lock horns for their share of the oil wealth from the country’s emerging oil and gas industry. As the oil industry gradually expands more clubs, pubs and drinking spots are springing up in Takoradi (the oil city), with some of the big clubs, which hitherto operate in Accra and Kumasi, reportedly contemplating on opening branches in the metropolis. “We have heard rumours that some night clubs including Jokers and Aphrodisiac are doing feasibility studies in order to pitch camp here in Takoradi,” disclosed George Blagogee, Manager of Vienna City Night Club Takoradi. Other night clubs who have confirmed immediate and future plans to open branches in Takoradi include Macumba Night Club and Zanzi-Bar. For management of Frankies, a popular eatery in Accra, “the idea to open a branch in Takoradi has come up for discussion once but no decision has been taken yet”. However, Jokers have denied any immediate plans to open a branch in Takoradi. According to management “the company has put all expansion plans on hold due to current challenges being faced”. They nonetheless indicated that they are closely watching development in the oil city to inform their decision when things change for the better. Soon to be opened in the oil city too is Protea Hotel, an upscale 136 room. The four star hotel would be located on over two acres of prime land along the Axim road, Dixcove Hill. Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly is one of the 17 Districts in the Western Region. The Metro is bounded to the North by Mpohor-Wassa East, to the South by the Gulf of Guinea, West by Ahanta West District and to the East by Shama District. It has a total land area of 49.78 km², with Sekondi as the administrative headquarters. The metropolis is located on the west coast; about 280km west of Accra and 130km east of La Cote D’voire. It is thus strategically located considering its closeness to the sea and the airports and accessibility to major cities by rail and road. Vienna City, the biggest and hottest night club in Takoradi, is currently strengthening it stronghold on the market by expanding their facility to accommodate more customers. According to Mr. Blagogee, “business is really booming as a result of the production of oil in the region”. The club which runs a one and half shifts three years back now operates three shifts with their staff strength increasing from 20 to 70. The club also intends to add a hotel to their night club as pertain in their other branches in Tema, Kumasi and Accra. The major clientele of Vienna City are the expatriates working on the oil rigs and platforms. “After spending a month on the FPSO and other rigs they come here to unwind. We provide entertainment for some of the major oil companies. Before they come, they would call us in advance and we would get everything ready for them,” he disclosed. The key players in the oil industry in Ghana with branches in Takoradi include Kosmos Energy, Tullow Oil, Baker Hughes, Schlumberger, Expro Group, Anardarko, and Vanco. According to John Laste, Head of Public Relations of the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, the influx of people into the region has also led to the high patronage of hotels, night clubs, pubs, restaurants, and drinking spots. Some of the big restaurants and night clubs are expanding their facilities and improving on their standards to attract the best. “We now have specialized pubs, drinking spots and night clubs that serve special clientele,” he added. Though the assembly says it rakes in between GH10,000.00 to GH100,000.00 (N812,843-N8,128,430) tax revenue from these entertainment joints it does not have figures to support their increase in the metropolis. But the head of PRO still insists that the absence of data does not mean that these facilities are not springing up in their numbers. “If you drive through town these changes are visible. More buildings which hitherto were being used for other purposes have now been developed into entertainment joints,” he indicated. Employment Mr. Laste indicated that it is too early to determine the impact of the oil and gas industry on the economy of the metropolis but was quick to point out that there is a direct correlation between the increase in entertainment joints and employment creation though there are no official documentation to support this assertion. But not all people in the metropolis are optimistic like Mr. Laste and Mr. Blagogee about the employment opportunities presented by the industry. It is expected that since more people a trooping into town the transportation business, especially taxis, would be flourishing. However, the opposite is the case. Most taxi drivers interviewed expressed disappointments with the kind of sales they are making now. They complained about the deteriorating nature of the roads and the choking traffic situation, which is a new phenomenon to them. Most of the oil companies operating in the region have their own pool of vehicles for their operations. “All these things are as a result of this oil production. I get annoyed when I hear people calling this place oil city. You cannot make a good sale for a day in this terrible situation”, complained Joseph Abeka, a 32 year old taxi driver for 11years. Hiring a taxi service for short distance three years ago in the Sekondi-Takoradi municipality costs between GH1.50-2.00 (N 121.927-N162.569) but has now increased to between GH3.00-4.00 (N243.853-N325.137) yet the drivers still insist that they cannot make decent sales. Standard of living According to Ishmael Edjekumhene, Executive Director of the Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment, although Takoradi has been a hub of trade for a long time before the oil find and subsequent production and as such are used to some of the economic challenges, the new economic challenges posed by the oil production is excruciating for the people. “Rent and land prices have gone up drastically. People have been dislocated because they can no longer afford their accommodations,” he added. Statistics from the Ghana Statistical Service shows that the Western Region is one of the top three regions with the highest rate of inflation. Social Vices According to media reports, prostitution and homosexuality is on the rise in the region with local practitioners worried about the competition from neighbouring countries. For Opanyin Agyei, an old gold miner, ‘prostitution has been part and parcel of the social fiber in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis for as long as mining has existed in the region”. He however expressed disgust at its ascendency and the careless and audacious manner with which current prostitutes now carry out their job. To him the practice has taken on a different dimension where even primary school children are being drawn into it. According to the Ghana Tourism Authority in the Western Region, prostitution has been rampant in the region because of mining and the oil has made it worse. However there are no conscious data gathered by the authority to confirm this. “When you drive around in the night you would see them all over the street in town. Some of them would walk up to you trying to solicit for business,” noted Michael Kpingbi, Acting Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority. Some of the hot spots for the prostitutes and homosexuals in the metropolis are Takoradi Market Circle, European Town, Kwesimintsim, Takoradi Harbour, Takoradi Beach Road, Coastal Area in Sekondi, Paa Grant Roundabout, and Harbour Barclays Bank. Grace Newton is a 23year old call girl from Agona Nkwanta. She plies her trade inside the Vienna City Night Club at Takoradi because to her “although there are other night clubs in town, Vienna City is the biggest and attracts the best of customers.” The night life is so booming in the oil city that prostitutes are travelling from other cities and countries to Takoradi. “We now face stiff competition from prostitutes from Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast. As if that is not enough, we have to also compete with prostitutes from other African countries such as Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ivory Coast,” Grace complained. She has been practicing prostitution for 5months now. She charges between GH300.00 and GH200.00 (N24,385.3-N32,513.7) for a night and a little less for short session and has managed to save about GH5000.00 (N406,422) in her accounts. “I dress simply and do not have any expensive taste and this allows me to save a lot of money.” Her customers are mostly expatriates working in the oil and gas industry. “They pay very good cash to be with you.” Other customers include bankers, medical doctors and other power brokers in the region. She is in the trade to support her mother and herself. Although she had completed Senior High school, she could not find any job and therefore does not have any choice than prostitution. For Mina, 22, a JHS graduate who hails from the Northern Region, customers approach you faster on the streets than inside the night clubs. She however pointed out that customers inside the night clubs usually pay better than those outside. On a good day she earns around GH150.00 (N12,192.7). But one theme that runs through the interview with both prostitutes is the fact that they are not happy with what they are doing. According to them given the opportunity they would quit the practice to lead a decent life. Some of the dangers Mina and Grace associated with the practice of prostitution include the refusal of some clients to use condoms, some clients refusing to pay the agreed fee after sex, and others beating or threatening you after the sex in order not to pay. The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly cannot deny nor confirm reports that prostitution is booming in the metropolis. “We are yet to have a definite report to confirm or deny the ascendency of prostitution in the metropolis. But we also do not doubt these reports because this business has been in the system for a long time but it is the ascendency that worries us.” HIV/AIDS Despite the ascendency of prostitution and homosexuality in the region, the HIV/Aids prevalence rate in the region is still lower compared to the Central, Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions. This is mainly due to the tremendous work by organizations like the Life Relief Foundation working with sex workers and HIV/Aids patients to prevent the spread and re-infection of the virus. The Ghana Tourism Authority is also providing free condoms to hotels to be given to their clients or placed in their rooms. “With the German Development Co-operation (GIZ) we organized training programs for hotels to sensitize their clientele about HIV/Aids. Now it is a requirement for all hotels to have condoms available for their clients.” Crime rate The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis surprising enjoys one of lowest crime rates in the region despite the influx of people from different background. The assembly has put in place several security measures to clamp down on all social vices that are also rearing their ugly heads in the metropolis including prostitution and homosexuality. “We have increased police night patrols and setting up barriers at vantage points within the metropolis.” The GTA admitted that prostitution is a social canker that has been in the community for a long time though it is a criminal offence. He said the Authority do not have any mandate to stop the practice. “It is a legal issue and the police are the people to enforce it. The only thing we can do is to ensure sanity in the hotel business by making sure that hotel premises do not serve as a breeding ground to solicit for sex”.