Cement Manufacturing Development Committee inaugurated

A nine-member committee has been inaugurated to oversee the development and growth of the local manufacture of cement in the country.

The committee is mandate to monitor and coordinate activities in the manufacture of cement in line with the stipulations of the manufacturer of cement regulations.

The members included, Chairman of the Committee, Professor Alex Dodoo from Ghana Standards Authority( GSA); Mr Francis Kojo Eshun also from GSA, Mr Kofi Addo from Ministry of Trade and Industry; Mr Gyimah Mohammed from Ministry of Environment; Science, Technology, and Innovation and Mr Saeed Foroco from Environmental Protection Agency.

Others included, Mr Ebenezer Kwesi Haizel from Ghana Institution of Engineering; Dr Frank Huber from Association of Ghana Industries; Dr George Dawson Ahmoah from Chamber of Cement Manufacturers of Ghana and Dr Mark Bediako an Expert in the manufacture of cement nominated by the Minister.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held in Accra on Friday, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Kobina T. Hammond, said the purpose for the ministry directives that no permits should be granted for the construction of new factories for manufacture and bagging of cement last year was to set up an institutional mechanism for registering and approving the cement manufacturing development.

He noted that the establishment of the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee was in accordance with the Ghana Standards Authority (Manufacture of Cement) Regulations, 2023 (LI 2480).

To achieve its mandate, the minister said the committee would have to make recommendations to the minister on the approval of an application for registration and the licensing of a manufacturer of cement.

“The committee will appraise, evaluate and approve local content and local participation plans and reports of cement manufacturing entities. They will also promote the manufacture, wholesale and retail of cement and cement components,” he stated.

Swearing them in, Mr Hammond urged the committee to facilitate an environment that would be conducive to efficient investment in the cement industry by working with the cement industry to identify their needs, challenges and opportunities.

“It is also important to state that under the LI, there is a requirement for manufacturers of cement to register with the Committee, the LI state that “Regulation 11 (1) A person shall not manufacture cement in the country unless the person registers with the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee in accordance with these Regulations,” he said.

The minister explained that, the regulations stated that a person who did not register with the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee to manufacture cement shall not be granted a licence to manufacture cement under these Regulations.

He said any person who sought to manufacture cement in the country should apply to the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee for registration.

“I hereby direct the Committee to treat this national assignment with the diligence and dedication that it deserves.  This is of critical importance to ensure quality and integrity in one of the most important materials for the construction industry and for the protection of the safety of consumers,” he noted.

Prof Dodoo thanked the minister for appointing them to see to the development of manufacturing of cement in the country.