The Minority in Parliament is accusing the government of reopening Ghana’s cement import market, a move it says puts local manufacturers at a disadvantage and reverses policies that once protected the industry.
Speaking during a meeting with the Ghana Employers Association, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Trade and Industry Committee, Michael Okyere Baafi, said the current NDC administration had loosened restrictions that previously kept substandard cement and foreign competition out of the local market.
According to him, the Akufo-Addo government deliberately shut down some factories and tightened import rules to safeguard Ghanaian producers from unfair competition.
“When we were in government, we closed down Empire Cement. We intentionally restricted the importation of cement and even the establishment of new cement companies in Ghana,” he said. “But now they’ve opened the space again for companies to come in.”
Baafi argued that those restrictions were designed to stabilise the market and prevent inferior products from circulating. He insisted that the reopening of the sector for additional imports under the current administration risks flooding the market and weakening local investment.
His comments add to the growing political debate over Ghana’s cement industry, which has in recent years seen rising production costs, competition from imported products, and periodic disputes over pricing and quality standards.
The Minority contends that rolling back the restrictions could worsen the challenges facing domestic manufacturers, many of whom are already grappling with high operational costs and currency pressures.
The government has not yet publicly responded to the accusations, but officials have previously defended liberalisation policies as part of efforts to ensure competitive pricing and prevent shortages.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
