Cement companies want review of clinker valuation

Cement manufacturing companies have expressed dissatisfaction with the valuation on the importation of clinker by the Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The Chairman of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana, Rev. Dr. George Dawson-Ahmoah who spoke on behalf of the association said a number of petitions had been made since March 2017 with all relevant documentation and evidence to support that the current customs valuation of $44.00 per tonne was far above the international pricing of about $34 million per tonnne.

He bemoaned that the huge difference had had adverse effects on the production cost of cement as clinker constitutes about 80 percent of the raw materials used in production.

He said although the Ag commissioner had given an assurance of dealing with the matter, concrete action was  long overdue as the committe set up to unvestigate the matter had unduly delayed its work. “This attitude is very injurious to the local industry” he said.

Firm decision

The association has therefore asked the Customs Division to come clear with a firm decision to review the valuation cost of clinker to save the local cement industry from collapse.

Dr Dawson-Ahmoah who doubles as the Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of Ghacem and the Chairman of the Tema Branch of the Association of Ghana Industries appealed to the Ag Commissioner to intervene as a matter of urgency stressing that the unfavorable economic environment was making doing business in Ghana difficult as the cement industry and other local established industries were struggling with high cost of production including high cost of energy and various taxes.

On the importation of bagged cement into the country, Rev Dr Dawson-Ahmoah lamented on various unfair trade practices that have characterised the trade and expressed the hope that the the Ghana International Trade Commission would come into force to check those “injurious trade practices”.