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The Ghana Cement Manufacturing Association (GCMA), has expressed dissatisfaction with the manner at which the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is handling their recent petition of the under-declared value of cost of freight (C&F) of imported bagged cement into the country.

Speaking in an interview with media men, Chairman of the GCMA, Dr. George Dawson-Ahmoah, said reports indicated that cost and freight values (C&F) such as 25 dollars per tonne to 30 dollars per tonne were still being charged at the ports on imported bagged cement particularly from China.

“The association holds its position of not expecting any value less than 80 dollars per tonne to cover C&F of imported cement,” he said, lamenting that imported bagged cement coming into the country with under-declared values resulted in cheaper retail prices, making it difficult for the local producers to compete.

Dr. Dawson-Ahmoah who is also the Strategic and corporate Affairs Director of GHACOM, disclosed that several meetings had been held with the Deputy Commissioner, Operations and the Assistant Commissioner Intelligence but nothing had been done concerning the implementation of the $80 per tonne C&F.

He said two companies were still importing into the country with CF value less than 40 dollars per tonne, and stated that the importers were doing so much damage to the local manufacturers.

He challenged the Customs Division to come out publicly to declare and resolve the situation to save the local industries from collapse.

Dr. Dawson-Ahmoah reiterated that the importation of bagged cements into the country was not necessary, stressing that with a current surplus capacity of over two million tonnes per annum, local manufacturing companies had the installed capacities to meet the local demand for cement.