The Managing Director of Aluworks Ghana Limited, Kwasi Okoh, has appealed to government to protect local aluminium companies against foreign ones that import cheap aluminium into the country.
Mr. Okoh says the non-implementation of the right laws has made it possible for Chinese companies operating in Ghana to charge lower prices for goods they trade in on the Ghanaian market.
Aluworks, Ghana’s foremost aluminum company, says it continues to record low sales due to the sale of cheap and inferior products by some Chinese Aluminium companies. The development they fear if not checked, will bring the company down on its knees.
Presenting a petition to the Ghana International Trade Commission, the Managing Director of Aluworks, Kwasi Okoh, said government must be committed to seeing local companies become competitive in Ghana’s business environment.
“China is dumping goods into Ghana at very cheap prices, at prices that are below that in China. The price in China will now include freight, paying landing cost to clear, and transporting to the person who will sell it. That increases the cost.
So, they could not trade with that high level of cost so they introduced what they call the export rebate in China which when they subtract from the cost of the trader, it makes it very cheap here; and so it is unfair” he explained.
Responding to his petition, Economic and Commercial Counselor at the People’s Republic of China, Chai Zhijing, said he was not enthused about the manner in which the matter is being addressed.
He advised the Aluminium company’s representatives to come back with a better approach.
“You are not talking about anti-dumping, you are talking about anti-china. We are not causing any harm to Ghana, we are talking about export of Chinese products which brings benefits to Ghanaian consumers” he stated.
The Chairman of the Ghana International Trade Commission, Nana Adu Gyamfi, said the petition will be studied and addressed accordingly.