Operations at Panbros Salt Industry Limited on Tuesday were thrown into turmoil after armed men, reportedly claiming to be from the police and national security, stormed the company’s premises at Gbawe to assist a Chinese national in taking possession of a portion of its land.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, the Managing Director of Panbros Salt, Michael Odartey-Wellington, described the development as “unlawful and dangerous,” saying it threatens the livelihoods of over 1,000 workers employed by the company.
“We have been operational since 1958 from the same premises, and now a Chinese national, known as Robert Tangway, is laying claim to the land, saying the Gbawe chiefs have sold it to him for use as a factory,” he said.
“Technically, he is trying to collapse Panbros Salt, which has about 1,000 workers. All these people will be rendered jobless.”
Mr. Odartey-Wellington explained that although the matter is currently before the court, the Chinese claimant allegedly took advantage of the legal break to enter the property and begin digging canals into the company’s salt ponds.
“During the legal break, they decided to come here and dig sand into our salt ponds. On Tuesday morning, they came with landguards and people claiming to be from the police and national security. They’ve begun digging walls, and once it rains, it will disrupt our business,” he added.
He said Panbros Salt has a valid lease of more than 90 years from the Jamestown stools and holds a mining lease that authorises its operations.
He stressed that the company’s lease has not expired and that no court has issued an injunction barring them from operating.
“We have resisted and condemned this, but there is no help coming from anywhere. Until the court rules that we have to vacate the premises, it will be lawless for anybody to ask us to leave,” he insisted.
Mr. Odartey-Wellington noted that the company has filed an injunction against the Chinese national to prevent any interference and maintain the status quo until the court delivers its ruling.
He said management has temporarily asked workers to withdraw from the area due to safety concerns.
“We don’t want any bloodshed, so we have told the workers to withdraw because of the landguards the Chinese is moving with. The workers are currently living in fear because nobody expects to come to work and face an accident,” he lamented.
Panbros Salt, one of Ghana’s oldest salt production companies, has been operating for more than six decades, supplying industrial and household salt across the country.
The ongoing dispute, if unresolved, could significantly impact local employment and salt production.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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