The management of Electrochem Ghana Limited, a salt and chlorine-alkali manufacturing firm, has committed to pursuing projects which will bring social and economic improvements to the livelihoods of the people of Ada.
The firm, a subsidiary of the McDan Group of Companies, which has been in operations for a year has since embarked on a project to develop the Songor Lagoon and its concession, in the area.
The ongoing project, according to the Chairman of the McDan Group, Dr. Daniel Mckorley, “is for the people of Ada.” Among other things, he noted that the project will inure to the benefit of the people more while acknowledging that “our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) footprints here at Ada are already evident, but the journey has just begun.”
Dr. Mckorley, observed that for the first time in 40 years, fresh seawater is flowing into the Songor Lagoon for the making of quality salt, due to the efforts of Electrochem Ghana. Until now, the lagoon was heavily silted and was on the verge of extinction.
It was disclosed that seven out of 10 community pans, designated to the Nakomkope community are ready, and will be replicated in all the other communities to cater for the interest of the local miners.
Old pans have also been rehabilitated and new standard ones built to help in the production of high-quality salt for both the local and export markets.
Currently, over 1,000 local women entrepreneurs from Ada are in brisk business after benefitting from the millions of Ghana cedis in interest-free loan schemes introduced by the company.
Furthermore, the Chairman of the McDan Group, who was speaking at the launching of activities to commemorate the first anniversary of the commencements of the operations of the company, said the Ada state will soon be home to the largest sports village in Ghana.
The construction works on the ultra-modern sports complex have commenced and are expected to be completed this year. The provision of the facility is expected among others to provide the platform for the discovery of latent sporting talents and the honing of the same into international stars.
Lolonya, one of the Ada communities was also recently provided a 20-unit toilet facility in addition to the free and regular water which is supplied to communities identified to have recurrent water supply challenges.
Other initiatives undertaken by the company in its one year of operation include the planting of 270 white mangroves and 400 cassia species to aid afforestation, rehabilitation of access roads in and around the concession. It also donated educational materials to basic school pupils and humanitarian support for widows in the Ada enclave.
The queen of the royal Adibiawe clan of Ada and CSR Director for Electrochem Ghana, Naana Adiki Manyeyo Adi I, noted that Ada would have made much more progress if social development-inclined firms like Electrochem Ghana had arrived earlier. She called for support for the company to enable it to operate profitably and to execute its many CSR initiatives to boost the speedy development of the Ada state.
