The Gomoa East District Assembly in the Central Region is calling on investors to support the establishment of the “Gomoa White Salt Board.”
The district has an abundance of local salt but lacks a regulatory body to manage this natural resource, unlike Ghana’s Gold Board.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Margaret Naana Ackom, made the appeal in an interview with Onua News while accounting for her one year in office.
“We have a Gold Board in Ghana, but we don’t have a Salt Board. I am talking about the local salt in Ghana. Now we are in the dry season, so it is available and cheaper, but during the rainy season, salt becomes scarce and expensive,” she explained.
She said the Assembly aims to establish the board to create storage facilities that will serve all regions of Ghana.
“When the board is created, we will have storage facilities so that salt will be available in both the rainy and dry seasons. We can also export it because in countries where snowfall is heavy, salt is used to melt or clear the snow.”
Madam Naana Ackom noted that the initiative would create employment opportunities for the youth, many of whom are already engaged in small-scale salt mining.
The DCE also appealed to the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama, to support the establishment of a cement factory in the district.
She said the district has five quarry sites that can provide raw materials for cement production.
The district, which has the largest population in the Central Region, does not have a single bank.
Residents who need banking services must travel to Kasoa, Winneba, or Agona Swedru.
The DCE is therefore appealing to commercial banks to urgently establish branches in the district.
Madam Naana Ackom explained that the district now has its share of the 24-hour market initiative, which should be complemented by banking services to support traders.
On legal matters, the DCE added that the district lacks a court, forcing litigants and police officers to travel to other districts to have their cases heard.
She noted that courts in neighbouring districts are already congested, and handling cases from Gomoa East further delays the justice delivery system.
On education, the DCE said that within the past year, the Assembly, in collaboration with the Member of Parliament, distributed books, pens, pencils, and other educational materials to both Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) students.
She added that 10% of the District Assemblies Common Fund has been allocated to education, leading to the construction of schools in underserved areas.
“We have provided Point Hope with a three-unit classroom block due to land constraints. At Duawonfo, we have built a six-unit classroom block with teachers’ bungalows. Previously, there was no school, and children had to walk long distances to Fetteh, which has now become overcrowded.”
The DCE said the Assembly has provided a CHPS compound at Nkwantanan to deliver basic healthcare services, while 20% of the Assembly’s Common Fund is being invested in legacy projects.
“We had a DCE bungalow on the Assembly premises, which we have converted into eight offices for agencies such as the Ghana Immigration Service, National Identification Authority, and Signal Bureau.
We took this decision because another bungalow was being constructed at Dominase.”
On support for persons with disabilities, she said assistance was provided based on individual needs.
Madam Naana Ackom said the Assembly has established a sanitation task force and procured waste containers to be distributed across the district to improve refuse disposal.
The DCE noted that although part of the district is coastal, it previously had only two premix fuel landing committees, which was inadequate.
“We have three coastal towns, but only two committees—one at Fetteh and another at Nyanyaano. Dampase had none.
Fisherfolk had to travel to Winneba or Apam to access premix fuel. We have now established one at Dampase, considering there are over 360 canoes in the district,” she explained.
By 1960news.com
