Local cement industry has capacity — Dr Dawson-Ahmoah
The Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of Ghana Cement Company Limited (GHACEM), Dr George Dawson-Ahmoah, has made a case for the country’s cement industry, insisting it has the capacity to meet the local demand.
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He said with the current surplus capacity of over two million tons per annum, local manufacturing companies had the installed capacities to meet the local demand for cement.
As a result, he noted, there was no basis for the continued importation of bagged cement into the country.
Dr Dawson-Ahmoah, therefore, called for an immediate ban on the importation of cement, just as Nigeria and other West African countries have done.
Speaking to newsmen in Takoradi after a meeting with the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who was on a working visit to the company, Dr Dawson-Ahmoah declared: “We have sufficient quantity of locally produced cement to drive the economy and contribute to national development.”
Dr Dawson-Ahmoah said the recent inadequate power supply in the country had affected GHACEM a lot, especially at its Takoradi factory, which he said would soon be expanded.
He, therefore, called on the minister to as a matter of urgency address the power situation, noting that it was through this that the local manufacturing companies could be motivated to produce adequately for the market and reduce the over-reliance on importation.
Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah assured GHACEM of his full support and co-operation to move the industry forward, stressing that the government would take action against any unfair trade practices in the industry and asked to be provided with full details for proper redress.
He commended GHACEM for their compliance with their tax liabilities, corporate social responsibility and the use of local limestone and, especially the expansion at its Takoradi factory in the midst of recent challenges facing industries.