By Jibril Abdul Mumin
Ada, Jan 15, GNA – The Ada Traditional Council has called on the government to protect and guarantee the safety of workers and operations of Electrochem Ghana Limited, a local salt mining company operating on the Ada Songhor Lagoon.
The call follows a recent attack on the company leading to the destruction of properties by a group of persons who laid siege on the premises of the company.
The group ransacked the warehouse, destroyed the water pump machine, and assaulted staff of the company.
“We are calling on the President of the Republic and relevant security agencies to provide the same level of security to mining areas with investors as it is provided to other traditional mining traditional areas,” said Nene Agdey Obichere, the Ada Mankralo, at a press briefing.
The Ada Traditional Council said such attacks on Electrochem Ghana Limited were sending a strong negative signal to potential investors, jeopardising the community’s ambitious plans for salt development.
Nene Obichere explained that such behaviours created an environment of uncertainty and fear, emphasising that investors are hesitant to commit significant resources when the risk of disruptions and legal challenges was high.
He said the community had the potential to significantly boost salt production, to a target of five million metric tonne of salt which could generate billions of dollars in revenue for the community and the country.
The “Mankralo” stressed that unless the rule of law was restored and a stable, predictable business environment created, the necessary investments to achieve the production goals will simply not materialise.
He called for the arrest of the perpetrators and ensure subsequent prosecutions by the law enforcement agencies.
Nene Odeopeor, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Electrochem, highlighted the significant losses incurred during the recent attacks.
He said while a full assessment was still underway, the company had already lost major assets, including water pump machines, brine tanks, and generators, all crucial for salt production.
The COO emphasised that the company had since beefed-up security measures to prevent further attacks.
GNA