Business News of Tuesday, 14 May 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Salt mining is a step towards building a global chemical production industry - McDan

Dr. Daniel McKorley and Wode Maya Dr. Daniel McKorley and Wode Maya

The Chairman of McDan Group, Dr. Daniel McKorley, has revealed that the idea to venture into salt mining is to realize his dream of building an international chemical production industry.

According to him, Electrochem Ghana’s operations at Ada Songor aim to extract the raw material needed to support the establishment of the international chemical production industry. Through his research, he discovered that Ghana is one of the best places to obtain high-quality salt.

McDan, as he is popularly known, made these statements during an interview with YouTuber Wode Maya.

He expressed his belief that the extractive industry in Ghana has been dominated by foreigners due to colonialism, resulting in key resources being controlled by outsiders.

McDan emphasized that he has taken on the challenging task of managing the largest salt mine in Africa as an individual in order to set an example for others to follow.

He stated, “We cannot always rely on foreigners to do things better than us. To succeed in this endeavor, one needs courage, unlimited courage.”

Although he did not face financial difficulties when starting his entrepreneurial journey, McDan acknowledged that about 99% of people would have doubted his decisions.

He stressed the importance of listening to feedback, whether it is criticism or encouragement, in order to make history rather than mistakes.

Reflecting on the origins of the Electrochem project, McDan mentioned that it began with recognizing neglected opportunities in the region that had been overlooked for over 55 years and saw the potential in the Songor area to contribute to the development of a chemical production industry.

McDan emphasized the need for industrialization and progress in Ghana and highlighted the importance of the right attitude, mentality, and leadership in bringing about positive change and better management of resources.

Regarding his personal wealth, McDan believes that managing the 41,000-acre salt mine makes him a billionaire.

When asked directly if he is a billionaire, he responded, “I think so,” pointing out the uniqueness of the mining operation due to its size and quantity of salt production.

McDan also discussed the importance of corporate social responsibility and how billionaires should strive to make a positive impact on society.

He mentioned initiatives such as the McDan Entrepreneurship Challenge, school construction, AstroTurf projects, hospitals, interest-free loans for women, and scholarships for students as examples of the McDan Group's efforts to improve lives.