Opinions of Friday, 23 June 2023

Columnist: Michael Kofi Oduro, Contributor

McDan committed to changing the face of Ada but …

CEO McDan Group, Daniel McKorley CEO McDan Group, Daniel McKorley

Salt Mining Company Electrochem, a subsidiary of the McDan Group has proven beyond reasonable doubt, its undiluted commitment to changing the face of Ada after it secured a 15-year lease of the Songhor Lagoon.

It will be recalled that in September 2019, Government leased the Songhor Lagoon to Electrochem Ltd to exclusively oversee activities of the Songhor Lagoon and also maximize the mining of salt in Ada. Since 2019 Electrochem has undertaken many projects aimed at improving the lives of the people of Ada. The areas touched include employment, education, infrastructure, sports, and economic benefits.

The company has offered employment to over 2,500 natives of Ada at the Songhor salt site. Whereas over 90% of the workers on the grounds are from the Ada area, there are good number of indigenes occupying managerial roles and also providing technical services. Electrochem in the almost 2 and half years of activities has lived up to its promise of always looking within Ada for any vacant role or when an additional labor force is required.

To improve economic activities within the community, Electrochem instituted a Women Empowerment Scheme with GHC 3 million to support small-scale businesses among women. Over 1,500 women have accessed interest-free loans.

In the area of education, some schools in Ada have received financial support and renovation of its structures by Electrochem. The provision of educational support such as Chop boxes, Trunks, students mattresses, exercise books, reading materials among others. The company has also provided scholarship opportunities for many of the indigenes to further their education.

In its efforts to improve living conditions in the Ada area, Electrochem has embarked on a community water supply project to ensure the deprived communities have access to clean water on a regular basis. It continues to lend out support to the Sege Polyclinic and the Bonikope Health Center to ensure that the people have access to quality health care delivery.

The Ada Senior High School is also not left out in the water supply project. Other infrastructural development includes the rehabilitation of access roads around the concession and the building of a 20-unit toilet facility for the Lolonya Community.

In the area of sports, works has already commenced for the construction of the first ever sports village in Africa. The 150 acre facility situated at Sege, will house a football academy, athletic club, tennis academy, basketball, handball, net ball teams among others.

Inspite of all these goodies from employment to social development and economic empowerment, some insignificant minority oppose the activities of Electrochem. If not for their selfish interest that has over the years destroyed the Ada Songor Lagoon what could their reasons be?

This people have used the media, violence, and lies as means to distract Electrochem. The lies about Electrochem taking away the livelihood of the people is a complete fallacy as the company through the ‘Community Pan Project' offers the natives of Ada the free will to mine at the Songhor Lagoons with Electrochem providing them with brine for quality salt production.

The masses have demonstrated overwhelming support for Electrochem and the McDan Group are hopeful that the company remains resolute against the detractors who do not want to see Ghana and Ada put on the global map.