Urgent action required on Ghana's imported clinker valuation

Dr George Dawson-Ahmoah, the Chairman of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana, has appealed to the Ag Commissioner to intervene in the valuation on the importation of clinker by the Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Dr Dawson-Ahmoah who is also the Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of Ghacem and the Chairman of the Tema Branch of the Association of Ghana Industries, stressed that the unfavorable economic environment was making business difficult in Ghana difficult, as the cement industry and other local established industries were struggling with high cost of production including high cost of energy and various taxes.

Dr Dawson-Ahmoah who spoke on behalf of the association said a number of petitions had been made since March 2017 with all relevant documentation and evidence to support that the current customs valuation of US$44/t was far above the international pricing of about US$34/t.

He bemoaned that the huge difference had had adverse effects on the production cost of cement as clinker constitutes about 80 per cent of the raw materials used in production.

He said although the Ag commissioner had given an assurance of dealing with the matter, concrete action was long overdue as the committe set up to unvestigate the matter had unduly delayed its work. "This attitude is very injurious to the local industry," he said.

The association has therefore asked the Customs Division to come clear with a firm decision to review the valuation cost of clinker to save the local cement industry from collapse.

On the importation of bagged cement into the country, Rev Dr Dawson-Ahmoah deplored the various unfair trade practices that have characterised the trade and expressed the hope that the the Ghana International Trade Commission would come into force to check those "injurious trade practices".