Police begin investigations into threats on Seven Seas Salt Ltd, chiefs

Police in the Ketu South Municipality has begun investigations into threats allegedly issued by some youths of Blekusu on the lives of Chiefs regarding the operations of Seven Seas Salt company limited.

The company is a salt mining factory operating along the Keta lagoon around areas like Adina, Amutinu, Agavedzi, Blekusu, and some other communities within the Some and Klikor Traditional Areas.

But over the week, management of the company noted with fearsome posters pasted on the walls of the factory cautioning them against extending their operations to the Blekusu area of the over 10,000 acres concession.

The threat, allegedly carried out by the youths of Blekusu also demanded from the traditional authority of the area to return all monies taken from the company in a form of compensation for the concession.

The youths further threaten that “failure to comply would lead to the flow of human blood.”

In an interview with Kasapa News, the Public Relations Officer of the company, Mr. Adams Mensah noted that the company is taking the issue seriously and urges to police to ensure that the faces behind the poster and found.

According to him, the move by the purported youth group is criminal and puts the lives of workers in fear.

He said, “You know the threat is always a threat, wherever you see a threat, you need to be alert and so it’s a serious issue. The police have begun their investigations, they were instructed by the regional commander to do a thorough investigation to ascertain where exactly the threat is coming from so we are very sure that the security agencies would get to the bottom of that threat and deal with it appropriately.”

Mr. Adams however, called on the youth to exercise restraint and use appropriate means to address whatever agitation they may have.

In 2020, some locals clashed with the company leading to the death of one person over concerns that the company’s operations were a disservice to the local people.

The residents also accused the company of violating the contractual agreement to draw water from the sea for its operations, stating that the continued drawing of underground water had lowered the water table, thereby depriving the residents of potable water.

They further accused the company of not satisfying the parts of the agreement that would benefit the residents, including the failure to develop the concession area.

To forestall any of such occurrences in the future, the company after several consultative engagements and negotiations has begun payment of compensations to the tune of GH¢2,200,127.15 to the affected communities.