Communities around Songo march against ElectroChem

Indigenes in communities around the Songor Salt Lagoon have organised a demonstration to register their displeasure with the granting of three investment lease to Electrochem Ghana Limited to mine salt in the area.
The demonstrators were mainly made up of indigenes of Lufenya, Kablevu, Luhuor, Kpotitsekope, Aminapa, Midea, all within the enclave of the Songor Salt Lagoon.
The demonstrators led by the traditional priest of Ada, Libi Wornor also known as the Salt priest, are demanding that the government to either review or conceal the contract, since their entire livelihood depend of the resource for fishing, salt winning and crop farming.
Meanwhile, Parliament on October 4, 2020 granted a mining lease agreement to ElectroChem Gh. Ltd explore the Songor Lagoon.
Thus, Parliament among other things mandated the company to engage in winning salt in an area of about 39,166 acres of land for 15 years subject to the mining laws of Ghana.
However, Libi Wornor who has been the custodian of the lagoon for over 28 years told the media Wednesday, January 27, 2021, that the entire Songor Lagoon cannot be leased to one entity at the expense of the indigene whos very lives depend on the resource for survival.
He said “the concessions encompass of the entire salt farming and winning areas of the Songor lagoon basin together with water body for fishing and farming lands. If these areas are gone, there will be absolutely nothing left for the people living along the Songor Lagoon basin.”
He fears were that the terms of mineral license granted to Electrochem would deny nearby communities of depending on the lagoon as their source of revenue.
The Stool father of the Tekpebiawe clan, Numor Tetteh Abledu Ayornu on his part appealed to the government to take a second look at the mining lease, so that development of the lagoon would be in the interest of all parties.
Although the inauguration of the Songor Salt by Electrochem was graced by the Paramount Chief of Ada, sub-chiefs, traditional priests and notable associations in the area, the Stool father said; “We resolve to see fairness and justice for the people around the Songor basin.”
The demonstrators on the other hand blamed their chiefs and said it was out of their complacency that this untold hardship has been visited them.
They, therefore, appealed to the government to either cancel or review the terms of lease to enable the inhabitants to benefit from the resource.
However, Electrochem Gh. Ltd hopes to develop the Songor Salt Project, which has capacity to produce 1.4 million metric tonnes.

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