Electrochem Ghana Limited’s operations at its sector A concession were severely disrupted last Thursday morning when vandals launched a coordinated attack on the company’s warehouse and residential facilities.
The assailants caused significant damage, stealing equipment and vandalizing several key assets.
According to the company, the attackers targeted a range of items, including vehicle windscreens, excavators, jungle motorbikes, water pumps, car tyres, and other essential equipment.
“Five tipper trucks had their windscreens and windows broken. Our fuel pumping station was vandalized, and the vulcanizing shop lost its compressor and brand-new tyres,” said Nene Odeopeor Siada, the company’s Operations Manager, speaking to journalists during a tour of the devastated site.
Attacks on Electrochem concession
The attack did not spare the company’s residential facilities either. The workers’ bungalow was ransacked, with items such as fridges, cooking utensils, gas cylinders, and even mattresses taken
According to Nene Siada, the long boom machine used to fetch salt was also tampered with, which is a major disaster for the company.
The perpetrators, believed to be from nearby communities, allegedly declared their actions were justified because their party had come to power.
Siada also addressed claims that the attackers were retrieving items seized by the company. He explained that Electrochem had confiscated equipment, such as water pumps, from individuals caught illegally siphoning brine from the company’s operations.
“When our security encounters them and they flee, we seize their pumps. However, if anyone approaches us genuinely, we return the items. The claim that we seized their property is not the full story,” he clarified.
Police Response and Appeal for Calm
The Ada Divisional Police Commander, ACP Joseph Atsu Dzineku who responded to the scene with a large team of officers disclosed that over 350 individuals stormed the Electrochem concession, claiming ownership of the land without presenting any legal justification.
“The concession is huge, and while we were talking to some of them, others had gone to other places to vandalize and steal properties,” ACP Dzineku stated.
The police, he said, made a conscious decision not to arrest the individuals immediately to avoid escalation which might have turned deadly.
ACP Dzineku appealed to the attackers, urging them to return the stolen items. He emphasized that their actions were criminal under Ghanaian law.
“The stolen items should be returned safely, as keeping them would be a crime that could lead to arrest and prosecution,” he warned.
The police commander encouraged residents to pursue lawful and peaceful means of resolving grievances with Electrochem rather than resorting to violence and property destruction.
