The Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Sampson Asaaki Awingobit has taken a swipe at the local cement manufacturers over concerns that Chinese manufacturers are taking over their jobs.
According to him, the argument being raised by the Cement Manufacturers’ Association of Ghana holds no basis.
Mr. Awingobit believes the industry needs diversity and not a monopoly system.
“I think it’s baseless…the Ghana Cement Manufacturers’ Association cannot say because we are manufacturing cement in Ghana, we cannot import cement into the country at all. Even the U. S.A where they manufacture cars, they still import; I cannot reason out with them. All the time Ghanaians sit down, and will not do the right thing,”
This follows agitations raised by the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana last week against the Trade Minister’s decision of granting permit to a Korean cement manufacturing company “Fujian” to import 500 thousand tonnes of cement into the country.
The local manufacturers argued that the minister’s action contradicts the Legislative Instrument.
Speaking in an interview with Citi Business News, Sampson Awingobit said their concerns are baseless and holds no grounds.
He further stated, “people are going around looking for opportunities to do business because the factories that they have set up are not producing to meet the market demand and this is because demand is always higher than supply. Then they talk about having capacity. If you have the capacity how many Ghanaians have you employed?”
Local cement supply short of demand – Spio Garbrah
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Ekwow Spio Garbrah last week asserted that Ghana does not possess the capacity yet to provide the needed quantity of cement to satisfy the country’s cement demand.
This he explained that the quantity manufactured in Ghana is not enough to meet demand.
Dr. Spio Garbrah further argued that although the outfit is advocating for made in Ghana products, the demand for cement is higher than supply, thus forcing government to import some to satisfy demand in Ghana.
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