The chiefs of the Anlo State have expressed delight at government’s proposal to establish an industrial salt estate at Keta in the Anlo Traditional Area of the Volta Region.
They said the proposed establishment of the salt industry would create employment for the teeming youth in the area.
At a meeting between, the chiefs, land owners, government representatives and authorities of the Keta Industrial Salt Estate, Togbe Agbesi Awusu, War Lord of the Anlo State who chaired the meeting said the Awoemefia of the Anlo State Togbui Sri III has given his blessings to the project.
He noted that the establishment of a salt industry would open Keta up to investments and generate employment “and therefore, we the people of Keta welcome the idea wholeheartedly”.
Government in partnership with waste management experts Zoomlion is to establish the estate to generate and support the downstream petrochemical and industrial sector in the country.
The first phase of the salt project is expected to produce about 600,000 metric tonnes annually within the first four years, while the second phase starts in the fifth year with an estimated volume of 1.2 million metric tonnes after other communities are added to the present list.
According to Ghana’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Dan Abodakpi who is representing government in the negotiations with the chiefs, plans are far advanced to protect the ecosystem.
He said the project management would be working hand in hand with the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure maximum protection of the ecology after the project finally takes off.
Mr Selassie Tamakloe, Project Coordinator noted that the meeting with the chiefs and land owners was to deliberate and resolve amicably all land related disputes before the project commenced.
According to Management of Zoomlion Ghana, the establishment of the estate fell in line with the company’s vision to become a player in various sectors of the global economy.