Elmina Salt Industry Makes Headway

Nana Konduah addressing stakeholders

The Elmina Salt Industry (ESI), a local Ghanaian salt mining company in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality of the Central region has improved its exports to neighbouring countries.

ESI dissociated itself from Palmbross Salt Company (PSC) in August 1983 since leaders of Elmina wanted to manage the company for the betterment of the people in the area.

Addressing stakeholders of ESI at the Edina Omanhene’s Palace as part of the company’s 7th Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Vice Board Chairman of ESI, Nana Kodwo Eduakwa V disclosed that when he became chairman in 2004, a total debt of GH¢150,000,000 loan which was contracted by the previous board with an accumulated interest of GH¢93,567,253.56 had been paid with the company not owing anybody.

He added that payment of six retired employees which amounted to GH¢37,445.00 as end of their service benefit has also been paid.

Nana Eduakwa noted that irrespective of the climatic conditions that salt producers have faced over the years ESI from January 2004 increased its production of 22,093 maxi bags to 35,595 maxi bags in December 2009 and recorded a decline of 29,940 as at December 2010.

He attributed the fall in production levels in 2010 to the axle load policy initiated by francophone countries, especially Burkina Faso and Niger which he said was their main market.

According to him, the governing board of ESI had to adjust the price of salt to encourage local sales which moved them up from GH¢79,383.40 in 2004 to GH¢210,631.93 in 2010.

In order to boost salt production, Nana Eduakwa hinted that a CP 15 iodine sprayer has been purchased while the World Food Programme has also donated an iodized machine worth USD 30,000 to ESI.

He therefore appealed to residents of Elmina and workers in the salt industry not to accused the Paramount Chief of Elmina, Nana Kodwo Conduah IV and members of the board of  misappropriating the profit of ESI, adding that the Edina Traditional Council obtains only GH¢10 pesewa on every sack which is used to run the affairs of the council.

Nana Eduakwa however charged the workers to work hard to boost the image of the industry, a situation he said will help the company earn more profit.

The Paramount Chief of Edina Traditional Council, Nana Kodwo Conduah IV however thanked the board for the great work.

A new committee was formed to steer the affairs of the industry which included traditional chiefs and other opinion leaders in the area.

The executives elected Nana Kodwo Eduakwa V and Ebow A. Folson as the new Board Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively while Supi Acheampong, Nana Afedu Annan, Supi Gyaapia and Nana Ato were selected to occupy executive positions to support the chairman in all his endeavours.

Nana Conduah therefore charged them to emulate what their predecessors did to project the image of the industry.

From Desmond K. Dapaah, Elmina

Killer Couple Remanded

Alhaji and wife

A Nigerian couple, Alhaji Rashid Bello and his wife, Fauzia Bello who were arrested on Thursday at Amosima near Moree in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese (AAK) district of the Central Region with human parts, was on Friday remanded into police custody by a Cape Coast Magistrate Court.

The couple shed uncontrollable tears when the magistrate, Kwame Ohemen Mensah remanded them to re-appear on September 22, 2011.

Their plea was not taken by the court.

In an interview with DAILY GUIDE after court proceedings on why the court did not take the plea of the couple, Detective Chief Inspector Samuel Adjei disclosed that it was because the case was fresh. He said the police only wanted the court to be aware that the couple was in their custody for investigations.

Presenting the facts, Chief Inspector Francis Kingsford Ockom said in the early hours of Thursday September 1, 2011, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Crime Officer, ASP Emmanuel Tetteh and his outfit, having carried surveillance in the area following information about a number of illegal activities there, decided to carry out a swoop which led to the arrest of the couple.

He disclosed that the police, upon searching the couple’s house at Amosima, found a big ‘Ghana must go bag’ full of human parts in their private toilet.

The police further searched the washroom and realized that there was a strange stench emanating from the toilet.

Fauzia Bello, upon sensing danger, tried to divert the attention of the police by flashing the toilet but was stopped and a covered bucket full of human parts was retrieved.

Chief Inspector Ockom explained that during interrogation on how they came by the human parts, the two refused to give the police a concrete reason, leading to their arrest.

He indicated that the body of the deceased had since been deposited at the Central Regional Morgue for autopsy, investigation and identification.

When questioned on their nationality by Justice Ohemen Mensah, the two said they were not from Nigeria as they told the police but from the Volta Region.

However, information gathered by DAILY GUIDE revealed that Alhaji Bello’s father is a Nigerian while the mother hails from Togo but was born and raised at Kojokrom near Kpando in the Volta Region.

The wife, Fauzia Bello, also hails from the Northern Region but had lived with the husband in the Volta Region.

From Desmond K. Dapaah, Cape Coast