ELECTROCHEM Ghana Workers Beaten To Pulp By Tofloko Residents

Fields Workers of ElectroChem Ghana Limited constructing evaporation reservoirs for the storage of sea water for the commercial production of salt have been beaten to pulp by some unknown residents of Tofloko in the Ada Songor area.

The attack occurred between the early hours of 8:30 am and 9:00 am Saturday July 22, 2023 when the workers were about starting the days’ work.

The five workers who were beaten up and severely injured with various degrees of wounds include an excavator operator, two supervisors and a security guard were rushed to the Sege Polyclinic for treatment.

According our sources on the grounds, the attackers who stripped one of the victims’ naked took away all their belongings including mobile phones and various cash amounts allegedly claiming that the site where the construction is taking place belongs to them.

EAGLEGHANA.COM sources say the suspects who bolted away from the scene when they heard the sirens of the police have since fled the town.

The victims have officially reported the incident to the police and are hopeful they will be able to identify the suspects.

They have since been treated and discharged.

The police are currently patrolling the community to ensure calm and prevent the situation from escalating.

Upon completion, the evaporation reservoir which is expected to serve not only ElectroChem but small scale salt miners in the entire Songor locality in their salt mining trade.

ElecroChem Ghana Limited is a wholly owned registered Ghanaian company in 2017 and legally acquired the Ada Songor enclave for commercial salt mining purposes.

The Company secured a 41,000 acres of concession at Ada Songor to produce 1,000,000 metric tons of salt per annum for the local and the international markets.

Background

Ghana’s Parliament approved three mining lease agreements in respect of the Ada Songor Salt Project (Ada West Lease Area [Ada Songor]), the Ada Songor Salt Project (Ada East Lease Area [Ada Songor “B”]) and the Ada Songor Salt Project (Ada East Lease Area [Ada Songor “C”]).

The agreements were laid in November, 2020 in accordance with provisions of Article 268(1) of the Constitution and Section 5(4) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

Electrochem Ghana Limited, the investor was granted the mineral rights to dig for, mine and produce salt at Ada Songor area in the Greater Accra Region in accordance with the agreement.

The investor was expected to pay on or before the execution of the agreement, an annual mineral right fee of US$100,101.00 to the Minerals Commission.

Per the agreement, Electrochem Ghana Limited was also liable to pay royalty every quarter in accordance with the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and an annual ground rent to the state represented by the Lands Commission and also allow members of the local community, to exercise customary rights and privileges such as hunting and snaring of game, gathering of firewood for domestic purposes, collection of snails, farming and observation of rites in respect of sacred areas in and over the licenced area.

 Elecrochem Ghana say it has in place a strategic plan for the development of the entire Ada Songor salt value-chain including the production of caustic soda, other chemicals for the transformation of the area into a modern economic hub in the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole.

By: Christan Kpesese/www.eagleghana,com