Takoradi GHACEM increases production

Takoradi (Western Region) 14 Jan. '99

The Takoradi plant of the Ghana Cement Works (GHACEM), produced 600,000 tonnes of cement in 1998, representing an increase of about 12 percent over that for 1997. The plant's production for 1997 was 550,000 tonnes. Mr. Knut Tiseth, Acting Works Manager, said this on Wednesday, when Mr. Arun Kumar Banerjee, Indian High Commissioner in Ghana, visited the plant at the end of a two-day familiarisation tour of the Western Region. Mr Tiseth said production has been increasing at an annual rate of about 20 percent since 1986, adding that 20 percent of the cement produced last year was purchased by the mining companies. The company has put in place health, safety and environmental awareness programme for its workers in addition to measures to minimise pollution. At the Pioneer Tobacco Company, Mr. Jimmy Idun-Ogle, Managing Director, appealed to the Government to reduce the excise duty being paid by the Company to discourage the smuggling of cigarettes into the country. He said the Company pays six billion cedis a month in excise duties adding that 53 percent of its revenue go into taxes. Mr. Joseph Yeung, Managing Director of the Ghana Household Utilities Company, said the factory which started operation in 1960 has a workforce of 300. It obtains some its raw materials locally and imports others from the European Union, Yugoslavia and China. The company has now started exporting some of its products. Mr. Reinhard Kessing, General Manager of B. M. K. Particle Limited, told the High Commissioner that the Company produces particleboard using wood by-products from nearby processing factories for both the local and external market . He said the company's production process is environmental friendly. Earlier, Mr. Banerjee had paid a courtesy call on the Lt. Colonel Kaku Korsah, Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive, in Sekondi. Col. Korsah briefed him about the economic potentials of the region especially in the areas of agro-processing, manufacturing and mining and

government policies on education and economic reforms. Mr. Banerjee stressed the need for Ghana and India to work together for their mutual benefit.