The chiefs and elders of the Ada Traditional Council have commended the government for what they described as a bold and decisive decision to grant a license to Electrochem, a private investor, to develop the salt industry in the area.
“We are happy to report that since the inception of activities by the investor, Songor has seen a massive facelift and revamping to the admiration of all well-meaning people of Ada and the country as a whole,” they added.
According to the council, the company was producing high-quality salt with 99.9 percent purity which could be exported to the international market as well.
They, therefore, pledged their support for the project which they said would not only benefit the people in the area but the entire nation.
The Paramount Chief of the Ada Traditional Area and President of the Ada Traditional Council, Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku III, expressed the commendation when he led the chiefs from his jurisdiction to pay a courtesy call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in Accra last Monday.
Benefits
Touching on some of the benefits the operations of the company had brought to the area since 2021, the chief mentioned the restoration of the dried Ada Songor Lagoon which he said had created additional livelihood opportunities for fishers.
The company, he added, had also offered some GH¢3 million interest-free loans to market women, supplied safe drinking water, constructed an Astroturf for sports development, and supported the district assembly with heavy-duty equipment to demarcate layouts in major towns, among other projects.
“As of now, about five areas have benefited from the construction of community pans for salt mining with each community getting an average of 11 pans,” the chief added.
According to him, some of the beneficiary communities have started mining, thus, creating opportunities for income generation and development.
Challenges
Nene Akuaku, however, expressed worry over the activities of illegal salt miners whose operations he said were posing a danger to the lagoon.
The chief, therefore, called on the Minerals Commission and security agencies to deal decisively with such illegal operations.
He also entreated the government to establish unencumbered access to the concession, including other interventions, to create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive in the area.
Impression
President Akufo-Addo said he was impressed about the salt project as narrated by the chief, but made it clear that the resources were not only for the people of Ada but for all citizens.
He also said that Nigeria imported about one million tonnes of salt each year from far away Brazil and that when well developed, the company could export to that country and other foreign markets.
The President further gave the assurance that state security would be deployed to the area to ensure those involved in illegal activities which were hampering the progress of the project were duly dealt with.
President Akufo-Addo pledged to visit the Ada Traditional Council and the project site of the company in due course.
