Ada, Jan. 20, GNA – Mr Kweku Ampromfi, Group CEO of McDan Group, says Electrochem Ghana Limited operations will ultimately bounce back after the January 9, 2025, vandalism.
He said everything that had been taken away, Management would replace, “luckily, and I do say luckily because we did not lose any life and for us, that was the most important and the most crucial thing.”
On January 9, 2025, armed individuals alleging affiliation to the National Democratic Congress violently raided the facility of the Company at around 0300 hours.
The intruders broke into the company’s premises and overpowered the security personnel, seized their mobile phones and vandalised the warehouse.
They stole equipment such as water pumps, brand-new car tyres, fuel drums, refrigerators, motorcycles and car batteries. The attackers also destroyed properties, including CCTV cameras.
Since taking over the concession, Electrochem has invested in community development initiatives, including the establishment of community pans, an outgrower scheme, clean water infrastructure, education projects and micro-loan programmes for women entrepreneurs.
Mr Ampromfi, who was speaking during a visit of delegation from the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), condemned the violent raid and called on the government and security agencies to swiftly apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators to ensure justice and deter future attacks.
He said the Company currently has Police and Military patrols at the facility for security purposes.
The CEO said they had beefed up security and some significant investment was going in that direction to keep protecting their operations, adding that it was costing them a lot of money.
He said these recurring security breaches undermine the investment climate and risk deterring both local and international investors.
He said as a means of revamping their production, they would need to increase their investments to ensure meeting the projected production capacity.
He said the workers were initially worried, scared and traumatised.
The CEO said they had a huge budget for community engagement, and they were addressing the issues also on that side as well to see if there were any grievances or anything that they wanted that needed to be addressed.
“But that is not to say that for those who committed crimes, the law will not take its course eventually when things settle down,” he added.
He said the act gave the country a black eye, because as an investor seeking to invest in Ghana, it raised a lot of questions.
Mr Ampromfi said the Company kept getting a lot of requests from several investors, who wanted to partner with them not just for salt production because their long-term plan was to go into value-addition, where they were looking at building a refinery.
Mr. Stephane Miezan, President, GNCCI, said the unacceptable act of violence threatened the safety of employees and the stability of Ghana’s business environment.
He urged the government and law enforcement agencies to take immediate and decisive action to apprehend those responsible for the attack and bring them to justice.
The President called for enhanced security measures to protect businesses across the country, ensuring that Ghana’s private sector could continue to thrive in a safe and secure environment.
He reiterated the importance of maintaining a climate of peace, stability, and trust for both local and foreign investors.
He said the attacks of this nature undermined the progress made by businesses in Ghana and had far-reaching implications for the country’s economic growth and reputation.
“These attacks undermine investor confidence, disrupt economic activities, and deter future investments and Ghana’s reputation as a secure and business-friendly destination must not be compromised,” he added.
He said as the representative of the private sector, the GNCCI remained committed to advocating for the safety and well-being of businesses.
“We urge all stakeholders, including the government and security agencies, to collaborate in fostering a safe and secure environment where businesses can thrive without fear,” he said.
He said beyond visiting the facility and assessing the situation, the Chamber as part of its mandate would engage the government on the protection of businesses in the country.
“We want to encourage investors to come and invest into our country, therefore, it is very important for us as a Chamber to ensure that these advocacy works go a long way to benefit the business community,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Ada Traditional Council in the Greater Accra Region has also condemned the act of vandalism.
GNA