Multimillion Industrial Salt Estate For Keta

By Stephen Odoi-Larbi

 

Waste management expert, Zoomlion Ghana Limited has announced plans to
partner with the Government of Ghana to establish an Industrial Salt
Estate at Keta in the Volta Region to produce sufficient volumes of
salt to feed the country’s petrochemical industry.
The move, according to officials of the company, falls in line with
Zoomlion Ghana Limited’s vision to become a player in various sectors
of the global economy.
The project which commences early 2014 will consist of two phases,
with the first, expected to produce about 600,000 metric tons for the
first four years at an estimated cost of US$191million.
The second phase of the project, according to company officials would
start in the fifth year following the successful takeoff of the first
phase of the project at an estimated production of 1.2million metric
tons after other communities are brought on board.
“The Keta Industrial Salt Estate in going to generate and support the
downstream petrochemical and industrial sector,” CEO of Zoomlion Ghana
Limited, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong told journalists moments after
paying a courtesy call on the Awoemefia of the Anlo State, Togbe Sri
III at his residence Wednesday, January 29, 2013.
Dr. Agyepong, enthused by his outfit’s venture into the salt mining
industry said the Volta Region was economically viable for the project
and would do his best for the realization of the Keta Industrial Salt
Estate.
“Keta has enough natural resources to be transformed into an
industrial hub,” he noted.
Commenting further, Dr. Agyepong expressed gratitude to the Awoemefia
for his blessings and pledged to give the Anlo State equity in the
board of directors of the project when it is structured.
“This project is going to be more localized to ensure that people in
the Volta Region derive maximum benefits from it,” he assured.
Commenting on the project, Togbui Sri III welcomed the setting up of
an Industrial Salt Estate on his land and expressed the optimism that
such a facility would open the area up to development.
However, he expressed concern over the environmental challenges
associated with salt mining and cautioned the project managers to
ensure that the Keta Industrial Salt Estate becomes a blessing and not
a curse.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Richard Quashigah lauded the
setting up of the project since it would improve employment
opportunities in the area.
The Project Coordinator, Selasie Tamakloe commenting on the project
said notwithstanding feeding the petrochemical industry with salt, the
commodity could also be converted into caustic soda for aluminum
production, thereby, allaying the fears of Togbui Sri III.

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