God Didn’t Give Us Oil For Chinchinga: Jennifer Oppong Backs Domestic Refining Policy

Social commentator Jennifer Oppong has issued a passionate defense of local value addition in Ghana’s extractive sector, arguing that the nation must refine its natural resources rather than rely on raw exports and imported finished products.

In a Facebook post published on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Oppong addressed policy analyst Kofi Bentil, endorsing President John Dramani Mahama’s strategic focus on domestic crude oil refining and mineral resource management. She argued that building local capacity to refine natural resources is essential for insulating the national economy against external geopolitical volatility.

To highlight her point, Oppong referenced ongoing security risks and trade disruptions along the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial bottleneck for global maritime petroleum transport. She noted that nations dependent on imported refined fuel remain dangerously vulnerable to international supply chain shocks, currency volatility, and sudden price spikes.

Oppong specifically praised President Mahama’s target to refine at least 40 percent of Ghana’s crude oil domestically, describing the policy as a practical step toward energy independence and fiscal resilience.

“God did not give us oil for chinchinga [kebab] and chibom [fried eggs], He gave us oil to refine,” Oppong wrote, emphasizing that natural resources should drive industrialization rather than superficial consumption.

Beyond petroleum, she defended the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), framing the state-backed entity as a vital mechanism to capture maximum value from the gold trade, retain foreign exchange, and prevent capital flight.

Oppong concluded by urging policymakers to prioritize industrial capacity, domestic processing, and resource sovereignty, insisting that long-term economic stability depends on refining national wealth at home rather than exporting raw commodities.

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