Electrochem Ghana Defuses Shooting Claims, Says It’s Security Men Don’t Carry Guns

Electrochem Ghana Limited has denied reports that its officials opened fire during a feud with residents of Toflokpo, near Sege, which resulted in the death of one person and injuries to several others.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the operations manager of Electrochem Ghana Limited, Nene Odeopeor Siada III, said: “What we do daily is build dykes and evaporators to store the seawater used to produce the salt. After the rain, we faced challenges with the dyke and were working to rebuild it. Every time we go there, we go with policemen for protection. While we were on the field, we suddenly heard noises, which came from a large crowd in the town. We ensured the protection of our equipment and personnel. People began throwing stones at us.”

“I heard the chief of Toflokpo say the police were shooting, but I swear before man and God, there was no shooting. We were trying to protect our concession, and we had made announcements that they should vacate the area. No one went there to shoot because our security personnel don’t even carry guns. We never fired a gun, not even a warning shot.”

“We gladly welcome anyone else interested in the salt business with us. We have been granted fifteen years to mine salt at Ada, and this has been approved by traditional authorities and Parliament, making it a legal venture. Some individuals are engaged in illegal mining there. We have conducted over ninety-five community engagements, and we continue to engage with the community. So I don’t understand why someone would claim that we’ve never engaged with the community,” he added.

A shooting incident in Sege in the Greater Accra Region left one person dead and several others injured in a renewed feud between the residents and Electrochem.

Nene Mayilo Dadebom II, Chief of Toflokpo, in an interview on Eyewitness News, stated that five people have been injured so far.

He also alleged that the salt firm had employed a landguard named Alhassan to terrorize the residents of Toflokpo.

“They [Electrochem] are employing force. Five people were injured. We are not opposed to development, but we will not be prevented from continuing what we have been doing for years,” he stated.

But the operations manager of Electrochem denied that the company engages the services of a known landguard to unleash mayhem on Toflokpo residents.

citinewsroom