Residents of Agbozume and Klikor in the Ketu South municipality of the Volta region have petitioned President Akufo-Addo over the operations of the Kensington Salt factory in the area.
This was after they went on a demonstration Wednesday to protest what they said was the adverse effects of the company’s operations on their livelihoods.
Clad in red attire with placards, the aggrieved locals marched for several kilometres from Agbozume to the Municipal Assembly at Denu-Tokor where they presented their petition to government.
According to them, the Indian firm which has been mining salt from the lagoon in the area since 2011 has failed to comply with the agreed terms of engagement.
They said the firm’s failure to source sea water for its operations has resulted in the drying up of the lagoon, which the adjourning communities, including, Agbozume, Klikor and Adina rely on for fishing.
The situation, the residents noted has deprived them of their livelihoods as even wells from which they source water to irrigate their farms have all dried up, due to the factory’s resort to underground water.
Wednesday’s protest by the residents of Agbozume and Klikor comes barely few weeks after, a similar one by their neighbours in Adina against the same company, led to the death of one person.
Korku Amedume, leader of the demonstrators who presented their petition to the Ketu South Municipal Coordinating Director, wants President Akufo-Addo to institute a probe into the Indian firm’s operations, which has become a great source of concern to residents.
He explained that, the communities in principle are not against the company but only want it to operate within the tenets of the lease agreement in order to bring relief to the indigenes.
