The Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, has said the entry of Electrochem into Ghana’s salt industry has the potential to transform the entire ecosystem as well as the economy.
According to him, the firm will present the economy with an opportunity to tap into huge regional and global demand of salt for industrial purposes while harnessing the commercial viability and environmental benefits of the natural resource.
Speaking at an event to commission the Ada Songor Salt Mine and Processing Plant on August 30, K.T. Hammond said although there has been private sector investment interest in salt mining and processing over the years, some firms in the sector have either become defunct or non-operational due to difficulties encountered at each stage of implementation.
“Electrochem, after experiencing some challenges and setbacks in operations within the area, has managed to invest $88 million in this state-of the-art salt washing plant and its ancillary infrastructure and facilities,” K.T. Hammond said.
“Progress has been relatively fast considering that the Electrochem industrial site, which was completed in February this year, took you just two years to construct,” he added.
The Minister further said the commissioning marks a major transition into large scale salt mining and processing to enable Ghana begin to realize its rightful place as a major salt producer.
He, however, appealed to the chiefs and leaders of the Ada area including the youth to lend their support to the project.
“It is an important launchpad into the modernization of salt mining and processing in Ghana and that this will be most beneficial in terms of attracting allied industries which require salt as the basic raw material, to invest, locate and create the much-needed jobs in this area,” the minister concluded.
The Ada Songor Salt Mine and Processing Plant currently produces about 650,000 metric tons of salt products per annum with the view of increasing its capacity to 1 million metric tons by 2024 and 2 million metric tons by 2027.
This would make it the largest in Africa with the potential to employ about 3,000 youth within the area and expected to increase to 7,000 with the completion of the second phase.
The plant sits on a 41,000 acres concession which was approved by Parliament in October 2020. It aims to produce and supply salt products to local and export markets.
Source: Ghana Web