Cement manufacturing companies in Ghana are appealing to government to quickly implement a policy which will ensure that all roads in the country are made of concrete.
According to them this will help consume the surplus cement in the country as well as sustain their operations.
Figures available from the cement monitoring committee show that Ghana consumes about 8 million metric tons of cement annually.
This consumption level is less than the production estimated at 12 million metric tons.
Speaking to Citi Business News on the matter, a member of the Cement Monitoring Committee, Mr. Sammy Amegayibor said President Akufo Addo who had earlier made mention of such a policy, should ensure that it is put into force to sustain the country’s cement industry.
“The total installed capacity will come to about twelve million metric tonnes, this is more than what Ghana needs for the cement industry. I mean there will have to be a way to export some of the products if all of them want to sustain business, I remember the President himself in one of his addresses to the public said that one of the policies that government will bring up to consume the surplus cement was to ensure roads projects are done using a lot of cement material”.
Mr Amegayibor stressed that should government see to the implementation of such a policy the cement industry will continue to grow, “If we live by it, that will be the best way to ensure that the cement industry is sustained”.
He added, “I mean after all, this industry creates jobs for several hundred thousands of people and so if they want to sustain business and continue to produce then there has to be a deliberate policy attempt to consume the cement that is produced”.
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By: Anita Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana