Seven Seas Salt Limited, a salt mining company operating in the Ketu South Municipality has called on residents in its catchment area to take advantage of the company’s presence for economic gains.

Currently, the Company was licensed from the Ghana’s Minerals Commission, three concessions located in Klikor and Somey Traditional Areas in the Municipality.

They are; Adina Concession (currently developed) comprising Adina, Amutinu, Salakakope, Agbevekope and Kpedzakope; Agavedzi-Blekusu Concession (Agavedzi, Blekusu, Dogbekope, Sonuto, Taskcorner and Tsavanya) and, White D’Or Concession (Hedzranawo, Adafienu, Tetekope and Agorkor), which are both yet to be developed.

Mr Adams Mensah, Public Relation Officer, Seven Seas Salt Limited speaking to the Ghana News Agency said residents of Adina and other communities should instead of fighting with the Company, make use of the economic opportunities it presented.

“Residents in the catchment area of Seven Seas can actually make fortunes from the Company. We’re willing to offer employment to residents desirous of working with us as well as open for them to freely come and do business with us. By that, those who wish to trade in salt and serve as agents for our brothers in Mali and Niger for example, can come to us here for talks.

There are plans to establish a caustic soda and chlorine plant in Ghana, which would require over 1 million metric tonnes of salt annually to feed that factory. I’ll appeal to all to look at the presence of this Company here in terms of the benefits it can bring to our communities so as to do our best for peace to prevail because fights, disturbances only militate against development.”

He said the Company, which currently had about 600 people as permanent, casual and contractual workers had among others, drilled a borehole at Kpedzakope, supported schools with tabletop computers and fixed roads hinting, there were ongoing consultations to build a clinic and a police post this year as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Management of Seven Seas Salt Limited at a meeting on Tuesday, paid compensation in excess of GH¢2.2 million to Adina and satellite communities affected by its operations.

The meeting had in attendance, Paramount Chiefs Torgbui Addo VIII and Torgbui Adamah III, from the two Traditional Areas, chiefs and elders, assemblymen and representatives of women groups from the affected areas to receive what was due their communities.

Alhaji Hassan Al Hassan, a representative from the Minerals Commission said compensation and resettlement regime remained a core area to the survival of the sector and functions of the Commission noting, “whereas government owns the minerals, in many instances the lands on which minerals are found belong chiefs, families and individuals” thus, the need for collaborative relationship to avoid deep seated mistrust among stakeholders.

Mr Elliot Edem Agbenorwu, Municipal Chief Executive for Ketu South called on Seven Seas Salt not to allow payment of the money for loss of livelihood prevent them from undertaking development projects in host communities while calling for the communities to put the money into good use to benefit all.