Tensions are escalating in the Ada Traditional Area following the publication of a strongly-worded open letter addressed to the Ada Traditional Council by Asafoatser Songor I, a spokesperson for aggrieved residents of the Songhor Lagoon enclave. The letter, which sharply criticizes the traditional leaders for their continued support of Electrochem Ghana Limited, accuses the Council of betraying the people of Ada and fanning the flames of potential conflict.
At the heart of the controversy is the management and ownership of the Songhor Lagoon, a Ramsar-designated wetland known for its rich salt deposits. The letter condemns the Traditional Council’s campaign to galvanize support for business magnate Daniel McKorley, popularly known as McDan, who owns Electrochem Ghana Limited. The company is accused of overstepping its legal boundary of 12,428 acres and forcefully taking over the entire lagoon area.
The author lists several recent visits by the Traditional Council to government offices — including the Interior Ministry, the Lands Commission, and the Inspector General of Police — suggesting these visits were attempts to secure political and security backing for Electrochem’s controversial operations. “In a span of a week, you visited the underlisted agencies to canvass support for McDan as against the cry of your own people,” the letter states.
The writer directly links the Council’s support for Electrochem to the violent incidents that have occurred in the area, including the death of three community members — Numo John Korletey Agormedah, Numo Sebbie Agbenyfia, and journalist-activist Noah Dameh. These incidents, the letter claims, were a result of state-sponsored security actions allegedly requested by the Council to protect Electrochem’s operations.
Invoking Ada’s warrior heritage, the letter warns the Traditional Council not to provoke further unrest. “We shall resist the takeover of the Songhor Lagoon by McDan Electrochem with our blood,” it reads, drawing parallels with a historical list of wars fought by Ada ancestors dating back to 1750.
The letter also directs pointed criticisms at specific traditional leaders, including Nomo Jonathan Tetteh Dorkutso Ada, Manklalo Agudey Obitchere, and Adibiawe Manye Naana Manyeyo Adikie Addi. The Adibiawe Manye is accused of having a personal relationship with McKorley, which the writer implies compromises her role in the conflict. She is alleged to be sponsoring the cost of transport to the places visited.
The letter concludes with an appeal for reflection, urging traditional leaders to “open your hearts and ears to the whispers of the ancestors on whose places you stand today.”
The Ada Traditional Council has not yet issued an official response to the allegations. Attempts to reach representatives of Electrochem Ghana Limited for comment have also been unsuccessful as of press time.
Meanwhile, civil society organizations and human rights advocates are calling for an independent investigation into the violence and land acquisition process surrounding the Songhor Lagoon. The situation remains volatile, and many fear further unrest if stakeholders do not engage in open and inclusive dialogue soon.
The Songhor Lagoon has long been a source of tension between indigenous communities and commercial interests. Designated a Ramsar site, it is protected under international environmental laws. However, large-scale salt production operations by Electrochem have reignited longstanding grievances over land rights, resource management, and local participation.
