Thesis Examination: MA student Kwabena Kesseh

Wed. Oct. 30 09:30 AM - Wed. Oct. 30 11:30 AM
Contact: Dylan Armitage
Location: 1RC028

The Impact of Oil Production on Traditional Livelihood: The case of Fanti people in Shama in the Western region of Ghana

This study examines the impact of oil and gas activities on the traditional livelihood of Shama, an Indigenous coastal town located 20 kilometres east of Takoradi where the majority of oil and gas development activities in Ghana take place. The study focused on the Fanti people in Shama who are predominantly fishers engaged in deep-sea fishing where developers have built oil and gas installations. The main objective was to understand how the people of Shama pursued their livelihood prior to oil development and how their livelihood has been impacted since the emergence of the oil and gas industry. I focused on the Fanti peoples’ traditional fish-based livelihood and its interconnections with their spirituality and social interactions. The study used the mixed-method design. I used interviews and survey instruments for data collection and analyzed through a concurrent nested approach, analyzing the survey using excel and the interviews through thematic analysis. The study sample consisted of 40 participants (27 men and 13 women). The result showed that the oil and gas industry has had a negative impact on traditional fishing in Shama. It has posed a great threat to their livelihood and affected their incomes, social interactions and spirituality. The study presents inland fishing as an alternative means of livelihood and the need for frequent meaningful engagement between those in the oil industry and the people of Shama.