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Three manufacturing Companies have petitioned the Ghana International Trade Commission (GITC), of the Ministry of Trade and Industry to address issues of unfair trade practices in the system.

They also petitioned the Commission to expedite action and implement the needed measures to protect the local cement and steel production.

The companies are the Cement and Steel Manufacturers Association of Ghana, Aluworks Company Limited, and the Association of Biscuit Manufacturers, all located in Tema.

The Commission was mandated to investigate and adjudicate on complaints by domestic producers relating to dumping, subsidization and import upsurges as stipulated in Section 3 of the Ghana International Trade Commission Act, 2016 (Act 926).

It is also to monitor and advise government on the country’s compliance with its bilateral and multilateral trade obligations.

Reverend George Dawson-Ahmoah, the Executive Secretary of Cement and Steel Manufacturers Association, presenting the petition in Accra, said the association’s total production capacity of 11.6 million metric tonnes per annum was adequate to serve the local industry, without relying on importation of cement.

Rev Dawson-Ahmoah expressed worry about the importation of cement from China, which had crippled their businesses and urged the Commission to intervene to save the company from collapsing.

Touching on the steel industry, he said the installed capacity of the steel industry was about 1,000,000 metric tonnes per annum as against an annual average of about 350,000 metric tonnes per annum.

Rev Dawson-Ahmoah said based on the production capacity, there was a surplus of 650,000 metric tonnes per annum to serve the local industry.

He said current data on iron rods and steel coils imports indicated that there was a significant increase in the importation of iron rods and steel coils into the country, which had negatively affected the growth and development of the local steel industry.

Mr Kwasi Okoh, the Managing Director of Aluworks Limited said the influx of cheap aluminum materials from China and the introduction of China deep export rebate for traders had affected the growth of the local aluminum industry.
He appealed to the Commission to come to their aid to avoid the collapse of the company.