The Association of Cement Manufacturers in Ghana is calling for an urgent intervention from government to save the industry from collapse.
The manufacturers lament the influx of imported bagged cement coupled with a reduction in freight value of the product is detrimental to their business.
[contextly_sidebar id=”w6BBpkGzoMA1oscqSNtzEGxb1OUgOKSC”]In their bid to get their concerns addressed, they have petitioned the Ministry of Trade, Tariff Advisory Board and the Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Their petition comes on the back of a recent demonstration by the youth of Aflao over similar concerns.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Chairman of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana, Rev. Dr. George Dawson Amoah, said the local industry needs to be protected in order for them to be sustained.
“How do you encourage a local industry to expand and to invest then you keep a blind eye and encourage what we call imports? If the private sector is the engine of growth, then why don’t we encourage the private sector here in Ghana to utilize its capacity? he quizzed.
“If the Chinese government is actually subsidizing and even giving discounts for them to actually import into their country, then it is also an issue because the problem is that, then what safe measures are putting in place as a country to protect the local industry?”
Cement producers in the country particularly Diamond Cement, which has its factory in Aflao, has expressed concern about the influx of imported Dagonte cement into the country.
Angry youth in Aflao recently demonstrated against the government’s seeming silence warning the trend could threaten their jobs and livelihood since they could be laid off due to unfair competition to their local employer.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana