In a significant stride towards bolstering Ghana’s economic landscape, Electrochem Ghana has invested a whopping $88 million in an ultra-modern salt mining project in Ada.
The project encompasses the establishment of a salt-washing plant along with its ancillary infrastructure and facilities.
Recent developments unfolded when the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy conducted a site visit, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing monitoring exercise mandated by Parliament.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, Mr. Samuel Atta Akyea, expressed optimism regarding the transformative impact of Electrochem’s Songor salt project on the economic conditions in Ada.
Assuring full government support, Atta Akyea warned against any attempts to sabotage the project, emphasizing the commitment to deal with any unlawful activities through due legal processes.
“My pain is that there are some people who believe that if they don’t undermine this project in their personal interest, they won’t be happy. It also means that to those people, if we put a very vast conspiracy with good intentions and even to the extent of killing somebody it is their pleasure. We cannot have that kind of lawlessness that undermines an undertaking that can bless the entire country. This project is meant to benefit the entire nation and the Ada people.”
Honorable Atta Kyea
The impetus behind the committee’s involvement stems from recent disturbances surrounding the project, prompting a directive from the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu. This directive instructed the Committee on Lands and Forestry and Mines and Energy to investigate the leasehold agreement granting Electrochem Ghana the authorization to embark on salt mining in Ada.
During a closed-door meeting with the management of Electrochem Ghana, the committee engaged stakeholders and gained insights into the challenges faced by the company in executing the salt mining project. Atta Akyea marveled at the potential of the venture, highlighting that, with adequate support, it could rival the contributions from gold and cocoa sectors. He stressed the need to pay attention to the natural resource of salt, expressing surprise that the project had yet to reach 40% of its capacity.
Committee To Report Back To Parliament
The committee’s tour of the Electrochem Salt Mining Factory included visits to the Salt Refinery and other crucial areas of the mining site. This firsthand experience provided committee members with a deeper understanding of the project’s scope and its potential positive impact on the local community and the nation.
Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee in Parliament, John Jinapor, acknowledged the substantial impact the project could have on the economic fortunes and activities of the people of Ada and the surrounding community.
“We are here on a monitoring visit, on a fact-finding mission. It is obvious that this is a very huge project and has the potential of impacting positively on the economic fortunes and activities of the people of Ada and the community.
“So right from here when we go back to parliament, I’m sure that we will report back to the Speaker and the House in general.”
John Jinapor
He emphasized the importance of parliamentary engagement to ensure a conducive and peaceful business environment.
Meanwhile, Electrochem Ghana Limited has vehemently denied any involvement in a recent shooting incident in Toflokpo, Ada West District, resulting in the unfortunate death of one person and injuries to several others. The company has expressed cooperation with the ongoing police investigation into the incident, awaiting the official findings to be reported accordingly.
As a subsidiary of the McDan Group of Companies, Electrochem stands as the largest salt and chlorine-alkali manufacturing firm in West Africa, boasting a concession spanning 41,000 acres at Ada Songor. Granted a fifteen-year mining lease to explore the salt resource in Ada Songor, the company launched operations in November 2020 with a target to produce one million metric tons of salt annually for both local consumption and export markets.
The project is poised not only to contribute significantly to Ghana’s economic growth but also to uplift the livelihoods of the Ada people and beyond.
READ ALSO: Poor Road Maintenance; Pokuase Interchange’s Twinkling Faulty Streetlights Herald The Festive Season
