Dangote Cement Company has described as unfair recent attacks on the company even though it has not infringed on any law of the country.
The Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana(CMAG) in a recent press conference attacked Dangote, calling on government to restrict importation of cement from Nigeria in retaliation of a similar ban imposed on some Ghanaian goods by the country.
President John Mahama in a response stated that Dangote was taking advantage of the ECOWAS external tariff protocols.
Addressing a press conference in Tema, the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Cement,Ghana, Mr. Tor Nygard said that, even though GHACEM has fought Dangote with all of its ads, the company is yet to meet the demand of the market.
“At the time we entered the Ghanaian market with the highest grade of 42.5R, GHACEM in their infamous TV commercial, claimed our product was inferior. Today, they were compelled by the market trends to hurriedly introduce the 42.5R grade even though it is more available on billboards,” he said.
He emphasized that Dangote cement meet all international and local standards for which reason its products have been accepted by contractors and estate developers in Ghana .
He stated that even though they have operated in a short time relative to their competitors, the company has been able to employ over 2000 Ghanaians.
“Indeed, one of the objectives of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, our founder, is to contribute to the economic growth of Ghana through the continuous job creation and the payment of taxes. That is why we are currently the largest employer in the Ghanaian cement industry,” he contended.
Dangote bring price stability
Touching on Dangote’s impact on price stability, Mr. Nygard stated that the entering of the company into the cement market broke the unfair monopoly GHACEM was enjoying which resulted in price surge.
“Today, there had been a considerable stability of the price of cement on the market as a result of our presence,” he said.
Calling for competition in the industry, Mr. Nygard insisted that it is better to give customers alternatives since it will ultimately benefit Ghanaians and the construction sub-sector at large.
“The customer must buy the cement based on quality, price, reliability of delivery and customer service. This is where our focus is and the market has noticed the effect of our entry in the Ghanaian market resulting in a stable price ,” he observed.
$100m Plant in Takoradi
Mr. Nygard assured that the plan to build a 100 million dollars grinding plant in Takoradi will be completed by end of 2017.
He stated that the state of the art plant will come with it a power generation plant, adding that “we expect to generate 5,000 direct employments when completed”.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
