Salt to be developed as "white gold" - Aliu

Vice President Aliu Mahama said on Wednesday that the government would support individuals and groups that would invest in salt mining to develop the mineral as the nation's "white gold" for the creation jobs, wealth and prosperity.

He was speaking at Winneba, in the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District, where he inspected a 283 hectare salt mining project, being developed at a cost of 2.3 million dollars, by two Ghanaian entrepreneurs, Mr Ernest Ofori Sarpong and Mr Osei Kwame, alias 'Despite'.

Vice President Mahama, who is on a three-day tour of the Central Region, to inspect development projects and to interact with the people to ascertain their views on government policies, earlier visited a small-scale salt project at Gomoa Nyanyano, where it was announced that the government had allocated 17.2 billion cedis to support small-scale salt miners this year.

Vice President Mahama, who said he was 'pleasantly shocked' by the huge investments and the size of the Winneba Salt Project, pledged the government's assistance to make the project a success.

Mr Sarpong, who took the Vice President and his entourage round, said the project was scheduled for completion in two months for production to start in October.

About 30,000 tonnes to 40,000 tonnes of salt would be mined annually for export to countries in the Sub-Region where there is a huge demand for salt, he said.

More than 500 people would be employed at the mine, which has 24 large clay-based saltpans.

The project, which started last year January, would be expanded, under a second phase, to include the cultivation of seafoods, such as prawns and shrimps.

Mr Sarpong told the Vice President that electricity and other basic infrastructure were required and asked for the government's support in providing them.

Vice president Mahama had earlier called on Nenyi Ghartey VII, Omanhene of the Effutu Traditional Area, where he asked for the co-operation of his people on the salt project to ensure its viability.

He said the government considered chiefs as partners in development, who must be consulted on the formulation of policies and their implementation to facilitate socio-economic development.

He told Nenyi Ghartey that he would discuss his request for action to be expedited on the divestiture of the Pomadze Poultry Farms with the Divestiture Implementation Committee.

The Omanhene said the Farm, which collapsed several years ago, should be revived to create jobs in the area, adding that employment would ensure peace and progress.

Vice president Mahama also visited Gomoa Potsin, Adzentam, Panfokrom and Awombrew where he addressed the chiefs and people at separate durbars held in his honour.

He encouraged parents to send their children to school, saying the difficulties they endured in rural settings should not deter the children from pursuing higher education.

The Vice President said: "Most people in leadership positions today, including most of our heads of state, grew up in rural areas. Your children can also make it to the top so you should support them to develop their talents."

He stressed the importance of education as the key to self-development and the elimination of poverty.

The Vice President told them that their requests for the provision of electricity, dams to support agricultural activities, the rehabilitation of roads, schools and other infrastructure would be addressed in due course as the government was determined to fulfil its promises to Ghanaians.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Lands and Forestry, Professor Dominic Fobih, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health, Central Regional Minister Isaac Edumadze, Deputy Ministers Hajia Alima Mahama of Local Government and Alex Sofo of Roads and Highways, accompanied the Vice-President.

The District Chief Executive of Gomoa, Joyce Aidoo and other government Officials were also on the entourage.