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Protesters stormed Electrochem Ghana Limited’s Songor Lagoon salt mining facility in Ada on Thursday, vandalising property and taking control of the site amid a deepening dispute over the mining concession.
The protesters, who reportedly caused significant damage to equipment and stole valuable goods, are demanding a resolution to the ongoing conflict between the company and the local community.
Electrochem’s CEO, Razak Adam, confirmed the attack, stating that the protesters had destroyed the company’s office building, security installations, and CCTV cameras, and looted motorbikes, television sets, and large quantities of salt.
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Adam described the event as “deeply unfortunate,” highlighting the harm caused to a company that is one of the largest employers in the area.
“We are shocked by the damage and loss of property, as well as the disruption caused to our operations,” Mr. Adam said.
The protest is rooted in a long-standing dispute between Electrochem and local residents over the ownership and use of the Songor Lagoon. The conflict escalated after Parliament granted Electrochem a 15-year lease for 42,000 acres of the lagoon in 2020.
Local residents argue that the lease violates PNDC Law 287, which originally designated the lagoon for communal use. They claim the concession excludes artisanal miners and threatens their livelihoods.
“A portion of the land should be allocated to local miners so they can also benefit from salt extraction to support their families,” said the Ada West District Chief Executive, calling for a balanced approach to resource distribution.
The protesters claim their actions were in response to an alleged assault on the Chief of Sege-Nakomkope by Electrochem’s security forces. However, Mr. Adam has denied these accusations, stating that he met with the chief just the day before the protest, and the chief personally rejected the claim.
The protest comes amid growing political tension in the country. Some analysts believe that the political transition in Ghana may have emboldened the protesters, particularly as certain groups reportedly planned to seize control of the concession in the event of a government change.
In a related development, similar protests have been reported across the country, including in Tema, where youth have targeted public institutions, demanding the removal of political appointees from the outgoing government.
Community leaders, political figures, and residents are calling for a balanced approach to managing the Songor Lagoon’s resources. Divine Agorho, the Greater Accra NPP Chairman, suggested a shared model where both investors and locals benefit.
“We must ensure that investors can operate, but we must also guarantee that local communities are not left behind in the process,” Agorho remarked during a community meeting.
Parliamentary candidates, including Dodzie Numekevor from the NPP, have called for a review of Electrochem’s lease, arguing that salt should be treated differently from more valuable minerals like gold. They have expressed concerns about the fairness of granting the entire lagoon to one entity.
Despite widespread calls for intervention, a joint parliamentary committee has maintained that there is no legal basis to interfere with the lease granted to Electrochem. This has left local residents frustrated, and calls for a solution remain unresolved.
