Open Letter to President of Ghana to Give Support for the Operations of Electrochem Ghana Ltd
Dear His Excellency JD Mahama, the President of Ghana
Once again, congratulations for your election as the President of Ghana for the next four years effective 07 January 2025.
Sir, since the matter of my submission on support for Electrochem Ghana Ltd has much to do with a security concern, so before I dilate on it, I wish to thank you very much for regarding the safety of the people of Ghana especially at Bawku and the security of the Nation in general as a number one national priority. So this prompted you to visit Bawku Naba and Nayeri, the overlord of the Mamprugu at Nalerigu on the Bawku conflict. As well as your prompt establishment of a very solid security team to support the efforts of National Security Council to deal with national security matters in order to ensure effective social cohesion and national cohesion.
So, thanks to Almighty God for electing and providing you with the good wisdom which made you to come out with a very solid security team and that also made you to abolish the unconstitutional and a very wasteful/parallel institution of the Ministry of National Security with armed troops a SWAT Team) under its control. It was Unconstitutional, since it had armed troops under its command thus against the letter and spirit of Article 85 of the 1992 Constitution that ‘no Agency or other organization concerned with National Security shall be established except as provided for under the Constitution’.
Sir, I hereby write to you to draw your attention to risk that is threatening both community social fabric and may affect nation social fabric hence may threat national cohesion. This a bone of contention in the Eastern Region related to security that requires your immediate intervention to ensure the economic improvement and inclusive growth of this country, acts, very important for the realization of your 24 hour economy. ‘
The tussle is between a few people in Ada with the support of the Hon MP of the area, (incidentally from the stable of your NDC Party) and Electrochem Ghana Ltd., a Mining Company, which is a subsidiary of the McDan Group of Companies wholly owned by a Ghanaian, namely Dr Nii Daniel Mckorley.
Sir, Electrochem Ghana Ltd, was registered in 2017, as a Large Scale Mining Company within the Industrial Minerals Mining Sector, precisely to mine and is now mining Salt for both the export and local market. It is alleged that the Company has the potential to produce over five million metric tonnes of Salt of Sodium Chloride with different brands for export and the local market. Hence, a very good venture to support your 24 hour economy.
Sir, some scientific reports indicated that Sodium from salt would be an element for the transition from fossil energy to clean energy. Hence, Electrochem Ghana Ltd has the potential to play a major role in the global and local quest for renewal energy for the energy industry. Consequently, it should therefore be regarded the State of Ghana as a Corporate Citizen that requires National Support especially from National Security Council to grow and expand its operations and market.
Sir, the mining concessions of Electrochem Ghana Ltd, about of 41,000 acres were acquired from the State (Minerals Commission) at Ada Songor and it has passed the constitutional test by the ratification by the Parliament of Ghana in 2020. The Mine was commissioned on 30 August 2023 by the President of Ghana.
Currently, it has employed over 1000 people with multiple effects and it is alleged that, it will with time bring the number to over 5,000 direct employees at full capacity, not speaking about the thousands of indirect employees in the Supply chain/side streams. Hence good news for your 24 hour economy.
Sir beside the production of Salt, the Company has the plan to establish Chlor-Alkali Plant for production of caustic soda and other chemicals for the export and import market. Hence, it has the potential to support cost effective 24 hour economy and thus help the dream of you and the citizens to materialize. .
Sir, a report have it that over 650,000 metric tonnes of salt was exported to Spain in 2023, as an initial export with a hope to continue to export to the global market especially making a strong footprint in the African Continental Free Trade Area. Thus it may meet both the huge demand for salt for domestic consumption and for the pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries in Ghana in particular and Africa in general. Thus it is not only a Ghana project but a project of the continent of Africa, being implemented for Ghana, by the McDan Group.
Sir, History have it that before the ratification of the Mining Lease by Parliament, the people of the affected areas by a Public Forum in September 2020 were made aware that the three Mining Leases were granted to Electrochem Ghana Ltd and the Company received the endorsement of the Ada Traditional Council and majority of the indigenes. Coincidentally, the owner Dr Daniel Mckorley is one of the indigenes thus bringing rapid massive development in terms of creation of wealth , jobs and social infrastructure, economic infrastructure including agricultural infrastructure for his people in particular and other Ghanaians and the people of Africa in general.
So, Electrochem Ghana Ltd and the Ada Traditional Council under the Leadership of the Ada Paramount Chief signed a Memo of understanding for the operations of the Company at a portion of the Songhor Lagoon Basin termed as the Songor Salt Project Area. Hence, a free consent of the Traditional and Opinion Leaders and the people was obtained by the Company, hence the acquisition of Social License was met by the Company. It is alleged that a mail date 08 Feb 2021 from SIGA affirmed the Songor Salt Project that was granted to Electrochem Ghana Ltd.
The Company intends to add an industry and service infrastructure by the construction of an Ada port to ease transportation at her catchment areas and facilitate the salt pumping of seawater to salt ponds or the lagoons using very efficient pumps.
Sir, Dr Kweku Ampromfi, the CEO of the Company has alleged that the Company intends to list in the Ghana Stock Market, hence, a very laudable idea by the Company, since by this plan, it will stimulate investment drive by sharing dividends with the citizens.
So by listing in the Ghana Stock Market in order to stimulate wealth creation for the benefit of the citizens of Ghana will be in line with Section (6) of Article 257 of the 1992 Constitution which bestowed the ownership of minerals in Ghana to the citizens but held in your custody. Hence, Electrochem Ghana Ltd should be regarded by you, Mr President, as the Custodian of the Minerals and the people of Ghana as a true corporate citizen thus for the Citizens of Ghana by the very good work of a Citizen of Ghana.
Mr President, you and the Hon Members of Parliament especially the Hon MP of the area, should therefore see Electrochem Ghana Ltd as one of the Companies that deserves total National support.
Sir, as part of measures to ensure sustainable livelihood for the indigenes of the Company’s footprint as well as a measure for winning the hearts and minds of the people for its operation, the Company reportedly without making profit etc front loaded some of the Company’s Social Responsibilities (CSR) and brought some early development to the Communities within the Catchment areas.
The Company indicated that it has made provision of water tanks, grading/rehabilitation of roads, provision of school blocks, AstroTurf, football fields, scholarship for brilliant but needy students to pursue their education. It also constructed public places of convenient and will continue to do so as and when required.
Furthermore, Seed capital of over Ghc3million as revolving fund was initially instituted for market women to expand their businesses. Report indicated that this support was/is doing wonders to the life of the affected women and their families.
Sir, the Company’s initiatives for local miners among others is what look like a ‘Live and Let us Live Policy (scratch my back and I will also scratch your back) policy by the building of community pans or small scale or community or artisanal mining areas across the entire area of the 41,000 acres of the concession with the notion to create 32 acres of community pans along her operations for the time tested traditional or artisanal mining with some technical support to the operators.
It is alleged by Electrochem Ghana Ltd, the Live and Let us also Live allowed the Small Scale Miners to mine five times per year as against initially once in year and that was done in the past before the coming of the Company, by the use of the seasonal rainwater to fill the lagoon, with this kind gesture by the Company, one may wonder why the problem of the people with the support of the Hon MP of the area.
The above demo massive benefits to be gained by the people of the area from the operations of the Company which include jobs and wealth creations by employment directly/indirectly. Likewise revenue to the State of Ghana including foreign exchange and Tax earnings respectively and the overall social impact to the State through the possibility for effecting social and national cohesion.
Mr President as you are very aware, the world is in transition from fossil energy to Clean Energy with zero or very low carbon emission. This has made Lithium and Sodium to become a critical minerals in the energy transition. Thanks to God for the abundance of all sort of Minerals in Ghana including Lithium and Sodium incidentally both from brine or Salt Water which is the raw material at the area and other places in Ghana.
Sir, the operations of Electrochemical is related with Sodium, obtainable from brine, saline or saltwater or seawater that provides salt or Sodium Chloride. Sir, Sodium can be extracted from saltwater or brine by electrolysis.
Sodium is a sister to Lithium, both are Alkali metals with the ability to conduct electricity. Sodium is more abundant in the Sea water in the form of Sodium Chloride or Salt and associated with Lithium Salt as brine. Sodium as alkali metal is complementing Lithium in the fight against carbon emission or the race for clean energy or power through Sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries respectively for powering a lot of equipment and vehicles as Electric Vehicles (EVs) as well as for energy storage grid.
Sir, Lithium-ion batteries are being vigorously promoted by China and USA. Sodium-ion batteries are being promoted by China and some European Countries. Hence, we should expect Clean Energy War in the power or Energy businesses.
It is envisaged that with advance technology, Sodium may soon replace Lithium due to in terms of sustainability since it is abundant in seawater than lithium, hence lower cost in extraction etc. Sodium is reported with safety quality than Lithium since its less inflammable (it is more environmentally friendly (non-flammable) than Lithium-ion Batteries and Sodium has other good chemical and physical properties than Lithium, Sodium reacts with Oxygen to produce Sodium Oxide for ceramics, glasses, fertilizer etc.
Sir, from the above narrations on Sodium, it should be very clear to you that Electrochem Ghana Ltd in addition to her current production of Salt from Sodium for the global and local market, it has the potential to support the global energy market with the inputs for renewal or clean energy as part of the transition from fossil energy, It thus stands to help you to navigate Ghana towards the Promised Land with 24hour economy. It is envisaged that this may be through the possibility of establishment of a Plant by Electrochem Ghana for the production of Sodium from salt and facilitate the establishment of factories by the McDan Group or other investors for the production of Sodium-ion batteries and energy storage grid to compliment that of Lithium.
Sir, it is therefore envisaged that Electrochemical Ghana Ltd spells the great fortune of Ghana due to the very high possibility of Sodium replacing Lithium in the Clean Energy Supply chain since Sodium-batteries hold promising for long sustainability because the Sodium Resource as stated has massive availability character since it is available in the sea and rocks on land hence a potential for reduction of possible geopolitics risks,
Sir, I wish to reiterate that Sodium-ion batteries are reportedly more environmental friendly, since they are less reactive and non-flammable thus being safer than the alternatives especially Lithium-ion batteries at higher temperatures. Thus Sodium can be transported at zero volt making it safer than lithium which is not environmental friendly and must be stored with minimum charge hence prone to increasing fire risk.
Thus Sodium can withstand much heat exposure than Lithium and adaptable to other different uses. Sodium is abundant in the sea hence cheap to get and even to extract through electrolysis and for the production of Sodium-ion batteries, aluminum is used to do so and this further makes Sodium-ion batteries to be cheaper than Lithium-ion batteries which require the use of copper and the price of copper is three times the price of aluminum.
Sir as you are aware, Salt from Sodium is used in petroleum refinery to remove hydrogen sulphide, hence product for the Petrochemical Industry. Salt of Sodium have over 100 uses including Sodium as coolant in nuclear reactors, to cool the exhaust valves in internal combustible engines. Likewise as Sodium vapor lamps to light high ways and airports due to their high luminous efficacy. As stated above Salt of sodium is used to produce hydrogen, hence, hydrogen peroxide as bleaching agent.
Furthermore, Sodium is for the manufacturing of plastic and other products like paper, glass, chlorine bleaching agent, rubber, detergent/soap, dyes, removing stains and grease, food preservative, seasoning to enhance flavor, health care to help a patient from becoming dehydrated to produce eye drops, prevent dehydration of a patient and other products.
Sir, one liter of seawater contains an average of 11 grams of sodium ions and as stated Researchers indicated that Sodium batteries will soon replaces lithium batteries due to low cost in addition to being safer. It said that replacing lithium with sodium can reduce the cost by 30 percent and this 30 percent is reportedly a great advantage because a price of a few percent may determine the life and death of an industry. The above demo that Salt of Sodium is a principal or critical mineral for many industries globally.
Sir, to conclude the bone of contention is due to the mistaken belief by some of the people that PNDC LAW 287 of 1989 which states that the Songor Lagoon and adjoining lands are being held in trust for the owners reportedly as landowners, so they claimed that the government at no time acquired the Songor Lagoon and its adjoining lands compulsorily but rather holding it in trust for they the rightful owners.
So they concluded that the lease granted to Electrochem has left over 100,000 people whose livelihood depend on the small scale mining of salt at the Lagoon in Limbo thus violates their human right. Implying the Company’s’ Live and Let us Live Policy has not been well embraced by the people.
Sir, the affected people therefore need to be told that in clear language that PNDCL Law 287 may sound contrary to Section 6 of Article 257 of the 1992 Constitution, which states that all minerals are vested in the President of Ghana (currently President JD Mahama) in trust for and behalf of the citizens of Ghana, nationwide. This is affirmed by Section 1 of the Minerals and Mining Law 2006(Act 703) enacted by Parliament. One may say that the Supreme law of Ghana and the legal regime have both made PNDC Law 287 of 1989 as null and void. So, Sir, it is recommended that you lobby Parliament to repeal this obsolete law which is contributing to the conflict, and please note to communicate an action on the repeal of PNDC Law 287 of 1989 to the people of Ada.
Sir, your good office should be used to support Electrochem Ghana Ltd to step up the Alternative Livelihood Projects to support the people with fish and mushroom farming, potato farming both on the land and in sacks at homes, beekeeping, poultry, snail and rabbit rearing. The Company should bolster the people’s seasonal crop farming with irrigation systems for sustainable livelihood. Tree or perennial Crops like Oil Palm, Avocado, Mango, cashew nut etc to be cultivated for sustainable livelihood.
The World Bank Group and USAID should be contacted through your good office, to support the Government of Ghana and Electrochem Ghana Ltd to deal with the problem of the Small Scale Miners with the concept of sustainability in mining especially to navigate the affected people with time from mining to other sustainable businesses or Alternative livelihoods. USAID is doing wonders with some small scale miners in Ivory Coast by helping them to navigate from mining to avocado farming/beekeeping.
Sir, as indicated, Electrochem Ghana Ltd ceded part of her concession to interested miners, because mining was and is their culture, your Government and National Peace Council should therefore help educate the people on the law on Small Scale Mining, it should be enforce by your Government and you should please render support to them by the introduction of Cooperative or Community Mining Concept with credible leaders which the Company and the State can deal with to control the miners.
Respectfully submitted for a national duty on economic and security matters for you and your Security Team to support Electrochemical, which is a very promising Corporate Citizen of Ghana and Africa.
Best regards.
Source : Modern Ghana