Ghana: Ghana has lost over US$13m due to imports of around 500,000t of bagged cement the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana (CMAG) has said to the Daily Guide newspaper. The association is fighting imports of bagged cement into the country, principally from China, because local production of cement exceeds demand. Local cement production capacity is 7.4Mt/yr, current consumption is 5Mt/yr and this leaves a surplus of 2.4Mt/yr.
"It's mind-boggling to see the ascendancy of imports of bagged cement from China despite persistent petitions that the manufacturers have installed capacities to meet local demand," said CMAG chairman George Dawson-Ahmoah in a recent statement. The association has been lobbying government bodies in Ghana since April 2015 on the issue if imported bagged cement from China. Local producers affected by the imports include GHACEM Limited, Diamond Cement Ghana, Savanna Diamond Cement and Western Diamond Cement.