Death and brutality-the battle for West Africa’s largest salt deposit

The peaceful town of Ada has become a flashpoint for violent clashes over the control of the Songor Lagoon, West Africa’s largest salt deposit. The current tensions began in 2020 when Electrochem Ghana Limited, owned by businessman Daniel McKorley (McDan), was granted control of the lagoon under a controversial lease agreement endorsed by the government and Ada Traditional Council. This move, opposed by artisanal salt miners (the main producers of salt in the area) and many residents, has led to violent confrontations, with accusations of brutality, land encroachment, and a monopoly over community resources.