Minister of Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea, has raised concerns with the importation of cheap and substandard cements into the country.
He gave the assurance that he would liaise with the presidency and Ministry of Trade and Industry to ensure that the situation is curb to allow local cement manufacturers work.
He said this yesterday when he visited Cimaf, a local cement manufacturing company located in Tema.
He said it was self-defeating that people would buy cheap imported cements whilst the country can boast of local manufacturers who produce high quality cement.
“We need to dismantle this arrangement and I know the buttons to press,” he assured.
He debunked the notion that the locally produced cement could not meet the demands of the country,
“Far from it. I am reliably informed that the production capacity is capable of meeting the local demand. So if that is the case, why do we permit the importation of sub-standard and cheap cement to undermine the local market,” he asked
The visit was to afford the minister the opportunity to know how the factory runs its operations as well as the challenges it faces.
Commending Cimaf, Mr Atta Akyea said he was enthused with the first class infrastructure of the company.
“If you look at the factory settings, their production lines and laboratory, they have shown that we can have people who will not come and short change us,” the Minister said.
He said the company was contributing to the growth of the economy in terms of creating jobs but bemoaned the “damping regime of companies bringing cement from Nigeria and China.
“I cannot understand how we can have optimum advantage if we allow damping to go on. They can produce to meet our local needs and also create jobs as well,” he said.
Mr Atta Akyea called for the strict enforcement of the laws to regulate the importation of cheap cements.
He said he was also worried that the country was not giving the company the base for raw local materials and assured that he would consult the Lands Minister to find the way forward.
He was taken around the factory by the acting General Manager, Abdelali Temsamani and the Marketing and Sales Manager, Joseph Kobina Aboo.
<<Print>>