The price of cement has eventually shot up to GH�30 in some parts of the country despite warning from GHACEM that its distributors should desist from exploiting people.
Investigations by this paper in some parts of Kumasi and across the country yesterday revealed that the price of the product, which is currently scarce on the market, had shot up to GH�30.
A fortnight ago, 'City & Business Guide' visited some shops in Accra and discovered that a bag of cement, which sold at GH�19, had suddenly been increased to GH�25. A week later, the price has increased by GH�5.
George Dawson-Amoah, Strategic & Corporate Affairs Director of GHACEM, noted that the cement manufacturer is not responsible for the sudden increase in the price of the product on the market.
In an interview with 'City & Business Guide', Dr. Dawson-Amoah attributed the shortage of the product to low production which he said, was caused by a fault on the main transformer of Diamond Cement Company located at Aflao in the Volta region.
He further noted that Diamond Cement Company controls about 35 percent share of the market and added that the Aflao-based company produces about 32 tonnes of cement a week.
He stressed that the 32 tonnes produced weekly by Diamond Cement translates into about 640,000 bags of cement.
�It is not true that GHACEM has increased the price of our product. The last time we increased the price of the product was in February, this year and since then GHACEM has maintained that price,� Dr. Dawson-Amoah remarked.
Continuing, he stated that even though GHACEM has a contract with its accredited distributors not to publicly disclose the factory price of the product, GHACEM had been compelled to announce that the factory price of a bag of cement was GH�13.34.
According to Dr. Dawson-Amoah, GHACEM was yet to receive evidence that its accredited distributors were selling the company�s products at such prices.
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