FULL VIDEO: Death and brutality-the battle for West Africa’s largest salt deposit 

The peaceful town of Ada has become a flashpoint for violent clashes over the control of the Songor Lagoon, West Africa’s largest salt deposit.

The current tensions began in 2020 when Electrochem Ghana Limited, owned by businessman Daniel McKorley (McDan), was granted control of the lagoon under a controversial lease agreement endorsed by the government and Ada Traditional Council. This move, opposed by artisanal salt miners (the main producers of salt in the area) and many residents, has led to violent confrontations, with accusations of brutality, land encroachment, and a monopoly over community resources.

One of the most harrowing incidents involved Modzifa Anim, who was dragged half-naked from her bathroom by a private security officer with police presence during a raid. Alongside 29 others, she was detained without bail for weeks, symbolizing the indignities residents face resisting Electrochem’s operations. Such incidents have fueled mistrust and resentment, with Electrochem accused of overstepping its lease agreement and restricting access to land and salt resources that have historically sustained local livelihoods for years.

The violence has escalated significantly, with 28 recorded clashes between 2021 and 2023. These confrontations have led to deaths, injuries. Small-scale salt miner Korletey Agormedah was killed during a raid by private security personnel in November 2023, while Electrochem workers, seen by local resid as traitors, have also been attacked. The conflict has created a volatile environment, with both sides trading accusations of vandalism and aggression.

Radio Ada, a community radio station, has become a focal point of resistance against the Electrochem deal. Its outspoken criticism led to a violent attack in 2022, during which equipment was destroyed, and staff were assaulted. The station resumed operations but faced continued intimidation. Journalist Noah Dameh, one of the station’s most vocal critics of the deal, died while being prosecuted for posting criticism of the deal.

The ongoing tensions echo the violent clashes of the 1980s, which led to the death of a pregnant woman, Margaret Kuwornu, and the eventual development of a master plan to ensure peaceful coexistence between commercial and artisanal salt miners. However, today’s conflicts surpass those of the past, with the government’s silence and lack of intervention drawing criticism. President Akufo-Addo, who approved the deal, is yet to address the escalating crisis.

State institutions like the Minerals Commission, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and Parliament have found themselves at the center of scrutiny for their roles in the events leading to the current crisis in Ada. Their perceived failures in policy enforcement, regulatory oversight, and the equitable allocation of resources have intensified the challenges facing the community.

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Death and brutality: The battle for West Africa’s largest salt deposit