Mr Morten Gade (middle) handing over an allocation letter to a beneficiary. Looking on is Dr George
Dawson-Ahmoah
The Managing Director of GHACEM, Mr Morten Gade has called on the government to take stringent measures to protect local manufacturing companies from unfair trade practices.
He observed that manufacturing companies play significant role in supporting government’s developmental agenda through employment generation and the payment of duties and taxes as such needs to be protected by frowning on players who do only imports.
Mr Gade was speaking at an event to hand over 15,000 bags of cement to selected health and educational institutions in deprived communities in the Greater Accra, Central, Western, Eastern and Volta regions.
The donation, valued at GH¢ 480,000, is support package for the institutions which are currently undertaking various infrastructural projects.
Through its GHACEM Cement Foundation (GCF), the company annually gives cement to institutions across the country grouped into Southern and Northern sectors.
Mr Gade admitted challenging times for the manufacturing sector citing unfair trade practices which had affected this year’s donation as the company was unable to meet the huge volumes of applications.
Addressing the gathering, Chairman of the Foundation, Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim VI, disclosed that for 15 years running the foundation had donated over 500,000 bags of cement valued at GH¢16million for health and educational infrastructure in about 4,451communities, a demonstration of the company’s pledge towards supporting development in Ghana.
Education and health sectors he observed have huge challenges as such the GCFhe assured, will continue to assist these sectors to alleviate some hardships in the economy.
Speaking in an interview with the press, Dr George Dawson-Ahmoah, Secretary to the foundation who is also the Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of GHACEM seized the occasion to bring to the notice of government the current Free On Board value on the importation of clinker.
He complained that although FOB value on international market stands at $34 per tonne the valuation by Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority is $ 44 per tonne with a difference of $ 10
This he said has increased the company’s cost of production disclosing that the company is in talks with Customs and believes such issues should be addressed to stabilise prices of cement.
By Kingsley Asare
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