Rep of Congo: mechanism sought to halt illegal imports

Representatives from the domestic cement industry met with Minister of State, Minister of Economy, Gilbert Ondongo, this week to seek assistance from the Congolese government against illegal cement imports that are then sold at non-competitive prices.

The country's current cement production is carried out by Société Nouvelle des Ciments du Congo (SONOCC), Forspak and CIMAF. Two new companies are also being established, including Diamond Cement in Mindouli (Pool) and Dangote Cement, Mfila (Bouenza), but the illegal imports are damaging the industry.

"Our plant only runs at 25 per cent of its production capacity. Our financial losses since the beginning of the year are estimated at about CFA10bn (US$16.9m), even the staff begins to worry about his fate and his future, " lamented Khalid Bouchama, CEO of Ciments Africa (CIMAF).

Much of the illegal dumping of poor quality cement is reported to enter the country through the autonomous port of Pointe-Noire. To deal with fraud and unfair competition in this sector, cement suggest the implementation of a control mechanism at each port and the creation of a laboratory for quality control of marketed cements.

Clement Ahialey Mawuli, CEO of Diamond Cement Congo SA, said a mechanism is needed to save the cement industry from this unfair competition. "Cements returning must be cleared, and for an end to the dumping of selling at a loss. We want the Congolese state helps us to solve these problems," argued Mawuli.