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Trade ministry imposes ceiling on cement importation

Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana petitioned government to protect the industry, citing cheap cement import from China and Nigeria, as a threat to the nascent industry.

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New rules on cement imports into Ghana will help local cement manufacturers to protect their business and “bring sanity to the sector”  the Ministry of Trade and Industry says.

The Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana petitioned government to protect the industry, citing cheap cement import from China and Nigeria, as a threat to the nascent industry.

Chairman of the Association, Rev. Dr. George Dawson Amoah, said the local industry needs to be protected for its sustainability.

“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 utilise its capacity? he said in an interview with Citi FM.

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Nigerian cement producer, Dangote Cement, has also been accused by Ghana cement company workers in the Volta region of unfair competition.

Last year, the workers demonstrated against the importation of Dangote cement into the country from Nigeria.

They said with this cement being imported it created unfair competition to Diamond Cement, Ghana owned and operated in the Volta region.

According to the workers, Diamond Cement has cut down on production from 5,000 to 3,000 tonnes a day and plans to sack some workers.

In a public notice signed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Ekwow Spio- Garbrah, the Ministry said the action will “bring sanity into the sector, bring relief to local manufacturers and facilitate international trade.”

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The notice indicates that “companies that wish to import bagged cement shall be issued a permit to avoid chaos.”

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has therefore given all cement importers up to March 31, 2016 to register with the Ministry.

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