Oil Is To Refine, Not For Chinchinga: A-Plus Slams Kofi Bentil Over Domestic Resource Policy

Politician and social commentator Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A-Plus, has delivered a passionate defense of domestic resource management, urging policy analyst Kofi Bentil to support value-addition initiatives over raw commodity exports.

In a Facebook post addressed directly to Bentil, A-Plus commended President John Dramani Mahama’s strategic focus on domestic crude oil refining and mineral asset management. He argued that refining resources locally builds the necessary economic buffers to withstand global supply shocks, such as potential maritime trade disruptions around the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

“When you have the foresight like John Dramani Mahama to refine 40% of the oil God gave you right here in Ghana… your country will be better positioned to withstand the shock,” A-Plus wrote. Emphasizing the need for industrialization over superficial consumption, he famously declared: “God did not give us oil for chinchinga [kebab] and chibom [fried eggs]. He gave us oil to refine, add value to, and use it to power our economy!”

Beyond petroleum, A-Plus sharply contrasted the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) with the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal. He criticized the previous administration for spending an estimated GH¢150 million on advisory fees and planning for the Agyapa vehicle. Instead, he argued that state funds and intellectual capital should be directed into institutions like GoldBod to retain gold value domestically and cushion the cedi.

A-Plus concluded with a call for proactive economic governance, asserting that natural resource wealth yields true national prosperity only when combined with local processing, structural planning, and long-term vision. “When you see a storm approaching, you don’t just pray for survival. You prepare to withstand it!” he stated.

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