‘Artificial’ cement shortage hits parts of Ghana
The price of cement has, over the few past weeks, soared in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, following a scarcity, seemingly being created artificially, and therefore forcing some distribution outlets to temporarily shut.
This seems to be the case across the country, according to The Chronicle, which has compelled most of key distributors of the commodity in Kumasi to throng the Ghana Cement Company (Ghacem) premises in Accra.
Ghana Cement Company sources say it had not increased price (about GHc10.35), and explained the current situation as being a consequence of recent power outages.
According Dr. Dawson-Amoah, Corporate Affairs Director of Ghacem, production would soon normalise with the improvement in supply of electricity. According to him, the situation had arisen out of the huge backlog of supply, and hoped the company would resume its average production levels if electricity supply is guaranteed.
Ghana’s cement supply is done by two main cement manufacturers, Ghacem and Diamond Cement, and other sources.
A bag of cement, which previously had sold between GHc12.50 and GHc13.00 (US$8.25 and US$8.60), is now selling between GHc15.00 and GHc16.00 (US$9.91 and US$10.60), and it is feared that the price could go to about GHc20.00 (US$13) soon, if nothing is done about the situation. Published under Cement News
