Ghana stands to generate about $200m annually from the Electrochem Ghana outgrower scheme for local salt miners within Ada and its environs.
Under the scheme, launched in August 2024, Electrochem would give salt mining concessions to local salt miners with a guaranteed purchase by the company.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Electrochem, Abdul Razak Adam, speaking with journalists during a tour of the company in Ada recently, said the company’s concession covers 42,000 acres, with a designated 7000 acres for salt mining.
According to him, the Electrochem Ghana can sell salt for $200 per metric tonne on a good market.
He said a total of 500,000 metric tonnes of salt could be produced from the 2,000 acres of land allocated for the project which would generate $100m every six months.
“So if you are able to realise one million metric tons, then, you are looking at $200 million of annual revenue,” he said.
Aside the financial gains, Mr. Razak Adam also noted that the Ada community alone would be able to cater for Ghana’s salt needs since the country’s yearly consumption of salt has been pegged at 600,000 metric tonnes.
He added that, they have also provided the areas which are not suitable for salt mining with portable water, toilet facilities and other infrastructures.
Mr. Razak Adam indicated that before Electrochem took over salt production in the community, portions of the Ada lagoon and ramsar sites were lost to illegal salt mining activities.
“So this project would also help promote responsible mining and environmental sustainability. The lagoon and ramsar sites would not be destroyed,” he said.
Chief Operations Officer for Electrochem, Bernard Tetteh, took participants through the salt mining process.
By Janet Odei Amponsah