Stakeholders in the cement value-chain have asked to be consulted on the proposed law seeking to regulate cement pricing.
They made this call after an engagement with the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee, (CMDC) under the Ghana Standards Authority, (GSA) on July 2, 2024 in Accra.
The engagement was to sensitize cement manufacturers on the new legal regime for regulation of the manufacture of cement in Ghana (LI-2480), and to hear their concerns on the proposed Legislative Instrument aimed at regulating cement prices.
Member of the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee, Prof. Mark Bediako addressing the media after the engagement contends that “the cement producers have actually seen that this LI is going to protect their industry.”
The stakeholders maintained, though the LI has been laid before Parliament, they want it to be made available for their input before it is passed.
“The mere fact that we’ve not had engagement is not the issue. It is what is in it, the content. If for example, there hasn’t been engagement and then the LI comes and is so easy to comply, is consistent with industry practice, is consistent with international and best practices, and it does not in any way cripple industry and rather helps industry to move forward in this transparency and arrangement, why would we complain?” Chief Executive Officer for the Association of Ghana Industries, Seth Twum-Akwaboah told the media.
Meanwhile, CEO of Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry, Emmanuel cherry noted that “Now that the LI has been laid, in as much as we don’t have what exactly the content is all about, we are waiting.
We have been promised here today by the chairperson of the committee that they are going to make the copy available for us and then they are ever ready to engage us which is a plus. So as industry players, our doors are widely open, and we welcome this particular open discussion.”
The law seeking to regulate prices of cement was laid in parliament on July 2, 2024 by the Minister for Trade and Industry, K.T Hammond despite resistance by some members of Parliament and industry players.
