ElectroChem Ghana Under Fire Over Workers’ Pay as GHC200,000 Chiefs’ Sponsorship Sparks Outrage

News Desk Report 

ElectroChem Ghana Limited is facing renewed public backlash in Ada after reports emerged that the company spent GHC200,000 to sponsor an end-of-year meeting of the Ada Community Chiefs’ Association, even as disputes persist over unpaid salaries and benefits owed to its former workers.

The salt mining firm, which operates at the Songor Lagoon, has for several months been embroiled in tensions with sections of the Ada community following the dismissal of a number of workers, most of them local youth. The affected workers allege they were laid off without payment of outstanding wages and other entitlements.

In response, the former employees have staged repeated protests and picketing exercises, demanding settlement of their claims. After interventions by some stakeholders, an arrangement was reportedly agreed under which proceeds from salt sales would be shared, with 70 per cent allocated to pay the dismissed workers and 30 per cent retained by the company.

Residents say that confidence in the implementation of the agreement has been undermined by the revelation of the GHC200,000 sponsorship, which they argue contradicts the company’s earlier claims of financial incapacity to meet its obligations to workers.

Several community members have also criticised traditional leaders for accepting the sponsorship while the issue of unpaid workers remains unresolved, describing the situation as a setback to efforts aimed at restoring calm and trust in the area.

In a statement sighted by Voiceafricaonline, Asafoatser Songor I, who describes himself as the mouthpiece of Songor, expressed deep concern over the development, cautioning that the company’s actions could further strain relations between investors and the local community if the grievances of the dismissed workers are not urgently addressed.

“This development has intensified the frustration within the community,” a resident told this reporter, noting that many of the affected former employees have been without income for months.

The controversy has reignited wider discussions in Ada about corporate responsibility, the role of traditional authorities, and accountability in the management of natural resources, particularly the Songor Lagoon, which holds significant economic and cultural value for the people.

As at the time of filing this report, ElectroChem Ghana Limited had not issued any public response to the concerns raised, and it remains unclear when the outstanding payments to the dismissed workers will be effected.