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Halt the activities of Seven Seas salt company – Ketu South residents to government

Some concerned youths in the Ketu South Municipality are calling on government to halt the activities of the Seven Seas company  operating in Agorko, Adafienu, Hedzranawo and across to Denu-Tokor.

In a press conference held in Laklevikope near Denu where a woman and her three children lost their lives, the residents said the company was only given a permit to work in Adina and not the above mentioned towns.

According to the residents, the operations of the company have caused so much havoc in the Municipality especially with precious lives lost in the process of their operations in the area. 

Halt the activities of Seven Seas salt company - Ketu South residents to government

They noted that, not less than 10 people alone have lost their lives in 2022 in the dykes allegedly owned by the company.

“It is clear that that the Municipal Assembly had evidence pointing to the fact that Seven Seas Salt Ltd had NO license to do the expansion it was illegally carrying out and there was no environmental impact assessment carried out by the company and submitted to EPA for approval,” they said.

They noted that, there was a letter instructing the company to fix the fish traps of residents that were destroyed in the process of the expansion of the company in order to maintain the peace in the Municipality.

Halt the activities of Seven Seas salt company - Ketu South residents to government

However, this directive was not adhered to. Also, there was no public hearing conducted in the various communities about the expansion projects undertaken by the company.

The residents noted that the community members wrote letters to the EPA and the Minerals Commission seeking clarifications on the licenses and operations of the Seven Seas Company dated 24th March 2021.

16 members of the communities affected by the operations of the company also wrote to the Minerals Commission referencing an earlier letter written to the Ketu South Assembly on whose outcome the Assembly halted the expansion works of the company.

They noted that the communities earlier rejected the establishment of the company in the wetlands that served as a livelihood for the people with a letter which detailed all the anticipated havoc and damage the company will have on the people, environment and its adjoining communities.

Halt the activities of Seven Seas salt company - Ketu South residents to government

“Lo and behold, today we are here talking about the numerous deaths that have occurred due to the negligence of this company. The recent death includes three young children and their mother who lost their lives at Laklevikope where we are currently having our press conference through drowning in one of the deep dykes created by the company,” they said. 

They noted that the operation of the Seven Seas Company is an affront to the laws of Ghana and a threat to the lives of the residents, and hence the urgent need to halt their activities beyond its official site, Adina.

“We see this company operating with impunity and killing our people with their shoulders and heads held high. This fight is not borne out of malice but one that everyone should support because it threatens our very existence as a people,” they said.

The residents have also accused some of their chiefs for being compromised by the company with huge sums of money like GHc540,000. 

“Documents available to us indicates that some of our Chiefs have been compromised by this company because they were given huge sums of money and per the laws of Ghana, all wet lands are owned and entrusted to the state.

Halt the activities of Seven Seas salt company - Ketu South residents to government

“How come Seven Seas Salt Ltd paid the chief of some traditional area a whooping sum of over GHc540,000 for the lands which it claims was owned by the Amu Gade Family on which the company was doing its expansions on without the prior and express license of the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency?” they said.

Meanwhile, residents are set to demonstrate against the company Tuesday, 27th September 2022 to drum home their grievances.

In a phone interview with the MCE for Ketu South, Mr Maxwell Lukudor, a committee has been set up to investigate the issues that led to the death of the family of 4.

Mr Maxwell Lukudor noted that it was necessary for his outfit and the security agencies to meet to deliberate on the issues which bother the residents and have them resolved.

Mr Lukudor noted that,  he together with his team visited the bereaved family and have been in constant touch with them to enable them help in any possible way they can especially in regards to the funeral and other expenses made by the widower.  

Mr Lukudor has, however, appealed to the aggrieved residents to exercise patience as a permanent solution is found for the solution.

Source: Ghana News

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