Rev. Dr. George Dawson-Ahmoah
The Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Ghana (COCMAG), a leading advocacy agency for the cement industry, is appealing to the government to promote the production of quality cement.
The chamber is therefore calling for the institutionalisation of a legal regulatory framework or policy to standardise the fast growing cement factories in the country.
Expressing worry over the lack of regulation/monitoring in the cement industry which has seen new entrants springing up every day, it stressed that, instituting a legal regulatory framework will not only protect the economic sensitivity of cement production but also protect the integrity of quality building and infrastructure in Ghana.
COCMAG said it has through key stakeholders such as the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) urged the government to put in place a regulatory framework to promote the manufacturing of quality cement in the market.
Executive Secretary of COCMAG, Rev. Dr. George Dawson-Ahmoah, affirmed that the chamber is not against competition but against unfair trade practices.
“We are agitating for equal treatment within the industry for both local and imported cement product,” he added.
Rev. Dawson-Ahmoah emphasised that besides putting in place a regulatory policy to further check the construction of cement factories in Ghana, authorities should look at the type of cement construction equipment, the type of laboratory equipments to be used, adherence to environmental and safety practices and evidence of producing standardise cement.
The chamber, he added, is strongly advocating the adherence of the mandatory checks of the standards of cement required for any imported cement into the country.
“Example, the internationally acceptable mandatory procedure for any imported cement into any country must satisfy a 28 days test of the products before acceptance. Today importations from neighboring countries by road are being dumped into the country without the 28 days test as stipulated by international norm.
“Meanwhile, this practice is seriously being adhered to in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire but not practised in Ghana,” he added.
Rev. Dr. Dawson-Ahmoah acknowledged the Ministry of Trade for championing this cause adding “We’re assuring the Ministry and the Ghana Standards Authority of all the support needed to achieve this objective so as to protect the buildings and the integrity of Ghana’s infrastructure.”
A business Desk Report