The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Mines, Hon. George Mireku Duker has expressed confidence in Electrochem Ghana Limited in transforming and making lives better for chiefs and people within Ada.
According to him, it is evident that the lease granted Electrochem to redevelop the Songor Salt has not been misapplied but is being utilized to the benefit of the people of Ada and the entire nation.
The Deputy Minister said this during a working visit to West Africa’s largest salt mine, Electrochem over the weekend to familiarize himself with the company’s operations and obtain firsthand information on the structures being put in place to help transform the Ada Songor Salt Project into a world-class commercial salt production site.
Addressing the gathering after the tour, Hon. Mireku Duker gave the assurance that the Ministry would continue to give McDan and Electrochem the needed support for them to excel in the salt Industry since it is clear that the project is, directly and indirectly, impacting positively on the economy.
“I am happy to see how the company is adding value to our salt and other countries are demanding from Ghana. I will appeal to the chiefs to support him immensely. There is the need for us to build our indigenes to get to the level as South Africa, the money remains here, so we have to encourage people like McDan to do more.
The Deputy Minister thanked the traditional leaders for showing the needed leadership and urged them to continue in the spirit of togetherness so as to get the area transformed to impact the lives of their people, especially the youth and women.
He said: “Our support for the project is for us to win together. Win for Electrochem, win for Ada, and win for Ghana. It is time for us to concentrate on salt mine because there is more, we can derive from that.”
Restoration of the Songor
In its first year of operations, Electrochem constructed a carnal that connected the lagoon with the sea and channeled water back into the lagoon for the first time in about 40 years to restore it to its natural ecological state to serve as a store house of sea water for commercial salt making.
Fishing activities in the lagoon have since been revived as a result and are fast booming, making life far more comfortable for the fisher folks.
This initiative, according to the company, will be mirrored in Ada East once the company expands its operations to the Ada East District.
In one year, Electrochem Ghana’s CSR footprints are fast becoming visible.
Over one thousand local women entrepreneurs from Ada are in brisk business, through the three million interest-free loan Scheme introduced by the company.
Other interventions include the provision of a 20-unit toilet facility for the Lolonya community, the rehabilitation of access roads in and around the concession, the planting of white mangroves and acacia species to aid afforestation, the widow’s support programme, scholarship to students, and donation of educational materials to basic schools.
The company also intends to make Ada the home to the largest sports village in Ghana as construction works are fast progressing and are expected to be completed this year.
Electrochem is a subsidiary of the McDan Group of Companies. It is the largest salt and chlorine-alkali manufacturing firm in West Africa with a concession spanning 41,000 acres at Ada Songor.