New cement plant commissioned in Tema

President John Dramani Mahama last Wednesday commissioned a new cement plant with the capacity to produce 1,000,000 metric tonnes per annum. Known as CIMAF Ghana Limited, the plant was established by Ciments de L’Afrique (CIMAF), a subsidiary of Morocco’s Addoha Group, at the cost of €60 million.

President Mahama, who had lost his voice, asked the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, to speak on his behalf.

Mr Iddrisu thanked CIMAF for contributing to Ghana's job creation.

About 1,000  Ghanaians were engaged to work on the construction of the plant, while about 200 would be employed on a permanent basis.

Investment climate

Mr Iddrisu said the investment made in the company was another testament to the fertile investment climate of the country.

Touching on the competition in the cement industry in Ghana, Mr Iddrisu said the government welcomed it but would not countenance unfair competition that could destroy local production.

"We want to protect local cement manufacturers," he stated stressing that the government was working towards that with the establishment of the Ghana International Trade Commission (GITC),an independent quasi-judicial government agency.

The  GITC is empowered to regulate Ghana’s international trade in conformity with the rules and regulations of the world trade system.

Mr Iddrisu said the government looked forward to working with the Addoha Group, which is also into real estate development, to provide decent housing for Ghanaian workers.

 Describing the project as "an investment project of great stature," the Chairman of CIMAF, Mr Anas Sefrioui, said CIMAF was proud to be part of Ghana's development strides.