The salt mining company, ElectroChem Ghana Limited, continues its operations unabated, despite persistent calls for Parliament to halt its activities until the concerns of local residents are addressed. The company’s operations are protected by an agreement ratified by Parliament, which ensures uninterrupted work.
At an emergency sitting on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 the Speaker of Parliament,
Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, directed the Joint Committee on Mines and Energy and
Lands and Forestry to revisit its report on the impasse between ElectroChem and local resident miners. However, this directive has not brought the company’s operations to a halt.
The joint committee, established on October 9, 2023 had investigated the dispute and provided recommendations to strengthen the relationship between the two parties.
Key amongst them were for ElectroChem Ghana Limited to consider allocating space to
local miners within the concession area, assist them in deploying best practices, and engage in continuous stakeholder engagement.
This action was prompted by a statement from the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Member of Parliament (MP) for Sege, Christian Corletey Otuteye, alleging the death of a local resident miner due to a clash with the salt mining
firm.
The Speaker’s new directive follows a complaint by the NDC MP for Ada, Comfort Doyoe
Cudjoe-Ghansah, who alleged that ElectroChem was vandalising cemeteries and sacred
areas, without regard to local traditions. She filed this complaint while contributing
to the debate on the adoption of the joint committee’s report.
The Speaker expressed dissatisfaction with the committee’s report, noting that it failed to
address key concerns raised by stakeholders. He pointed out that the report did not capture the full spectrum of issues, including the validity of additional lease agreements, the application of PNC Law 287, and its implications for ElectroChem’s leases and future operations, among others.
The NDC MP for Tamale Central and Ranking Member of the committee, Alhassan Suhiyini, criticised the report, stating that it did not reflect the views of the entire committee
membership. In contrast, the NDC MP for Asawase, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak, cautioned against halting ElectroChem’s operations, emphasising that such moves undermine investment and drive away investors from Ghana.
Alhaji Mubarak argued that ElectroChem has committed no crime and is simply implementing the agreement ratified by Parliament. He noted that comments suggesting local residents have a right to mine in the concession are unfounded, as the mineral deposit belongs to the State, not the residents.
“Mr. Speaker, I have a house in Kumasi and I have a house in Accra. If for any reason one
day gold is found in my house, that gold is never mine. That is what the constitution has
subscribed to. That, immediately the gold is found, even though that house is mine, I lose
the right to extract that gold. That gold is a mineral and it is invested in the President and it can only be exploited when that is brought to Parliament and Parliament look at the conditions and agree that it can be exploited under this condition”, he noted.
The Majority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh,
acknowledged the concerns of local residents but urged their representatives in Parliament to continue dialoguing with the company to find lasting solutions to the dispute.
By Stephen Odoi-Larbi
