VOA标准英语2009年-Ghana Prepares for Oil Boom

Environmental and regulatory concerns surround Ghana's plans to start producing offshore¹ oil.
　
Ghana's President John Atta Mills (file photo)

With more than 600 million barrels of proven reserves, the International Monetary² Fund says oil and natural gas from Ghana's first off-shore field could bring the country as much as $20 billion by 2030.

But Ghana need look no farther than Nigeria to see how squandered³ oil wealth can bring violence that destroys pipelines⁴, takes hostages, and consumes the central government.

"Let me say loud and clear that the oil and natural gas in this country is for the benefit of the people of Ghana," said Ghanaian President John Atta Mills.

In an interview with VOA, Mr. Mills says his government is mindful of Nigeria's example.

"You want to learn from the experiences of others. You want to be guided by things which have worked and also take note of things which have not worked," Mills continued. "If at this stage we in Ghana can not learn from the experiences of our neighbors and colleagues on the continent, then we have no business being in politics."

President Mills' election earlier this year in the fifth successive vote since 1992 is the chief reason U.S. President Barack Obama made Ghana his first stop in Sub-Saharan Africa since taking office.
　
US President Barack Obama, left, walks with Ghana's President John Atta Mills, at the Presidential Palace in Accra, 11 Jul 2009

"Dependence⁵ on commodities or a single export has a tendency to concentrate wealth in the hands of the few and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns," Mr. Obama said.

He told lawmakers in Accra that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in infrastructure⁶, when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce⁷, and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that generate jobs.

"Oil brings great opportunities. And you have been very responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa,"
Mr. Obama said.

After years of steady growth, Ghana's economy has slowed, in part due to over-spending by the previous government. A budget deficit⁸ that was nine percent of gross domestic product in 2007 now tops 15 percent of GDP. Inflation in May reached 20 percent. The value of Ghana's currency fell 13 percent in the first quarter.

"Every politician is making claims on this oil. Everyone is banking⁹ too many hopes on the oil, and that in itself is a threat," said Abdulai Dramani, environmental program officer for the Accra-base advocacy group Third World Network-Africa.

Mr. Dramani is concerned about the environmental impact of a possible oil spill and how the offshore platforms will affect the local fishing industry.

"It has been fenced-off against the fisher folks, and therefore their access to fish is impaired¹⁰. And that is their livelihood¹¹ source. So for them, that is the danger. Even though the oil might generate some revenue, that revenue is not likely to come to them because they have no skills of being employed," said Dramani.

Since reserves were discovered in the Jubilee¹² field, more than 40 companies have applied¹³ for licenses¹⁴ to explore for oil. Dramani wants a moratorium¹⁵ on new licenses until Ghanaian law catches up.

President Mills says he will not allow Ghana's oil boom to get out of hand.

"I have seen all sorts of people flocking into that area. People knocking on our doors making all sorts of proposals. But we are firmly resolved to do what is right," said Mr. Mills. "We have got our blueprint¹⁶. We have got our guidelines. And we will go strictly¹⁷ in accordance with these guidelines. There are some who are not prepared to go in accordance with the lay-down procedure. There are some who want to be favored," he continued.

Oil could bring President Mills' government $1 billion dollars in annual revenue by the start of next year. Ghana's Integrated Social Development Center says past experience with African oil booms shows that the transparent¹⁸ management of oil funds not only improves public spending but gives the public greater confidence that their money is being handled properly.

1 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

2 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

3 squandered   

v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squandered all his money on gambling. 他把自己所有的钱都糟蹋在赌博上了。
• She felt as indignant as if her own money had been squandered. 她心里十分生气，好像是她自己的钱给浪费掉了似的。 来自飘（部分）

4 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

5 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

8 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

9 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

10 impaired   

adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Much reading has impaired his vision. 大量读书损害了他的视力。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His hearing is somewhat impaired. 他的听觉已受到一定程度的损害。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

12 jubilee   

n.周年纪念；欢乐

参考例句：

• They had a big jubilee to celebrate the victory.他们举行盛大的周年纪念活动以祝贺胜利。
• Every Jubilee,to take the opposite case,has served a function.反过来说，历次君主巡幸，都曾起到某种作用。

13 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

14 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

15 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

16 blueprint   

n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划

参考例句：

• All the machine parts on a blueprint must answer each other.设计图上所有的机器部件都应互相配合。
• The documents contain a blueprint for a nuclear device.文件内附有一张核装置的设计蓝图。

17 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

18 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。