Increasing Price Of Cement On The Ghanaian Market Generates Mixed Reactions 

The price of cement that shot up these past few weeks is expected to revert to its normal quotation by next week. 

The price increase has been attributed to low production. 

The Director of Communications of Diamond Cement, Anthony Arden Boakye told Radio Ghana that the company has started production and will hit the market soon. 

Meanwhile, David Matey buys cement regularly and said he was shocked when he bought the cement for GH¢ 17 and went two days later to buy the same bag at GH¢ 25. He suggested the construction of more cement factories. 

A cement retailer, James Yeboah who sells a bag of cement for GH¢ 22 said the shortage of cement has led to the increase in prices. 

He thinks that if more factories are established, the problem will be solved. 

In the meantime, GHACEM has been explaining factors that have led to the rise in cement prices. 

It said the increment is due to manipulation by distributors because GHACEM has not increased it's ex factory price since February. 

Four companies produce cement in Ghana, namely GHACEM, which controls over 60 percent of the market, Diamond Cement, located at Aflao, Greenview International Company, which imports finished cement for bagging and Savannah Diamond Cement Limited at Buipe.

Furthermore, Real estate developers in the country are worried about the increasing price of cement on the Ghanaian market saying it is affecting their business. Some of them are said to be laying off workers as a result of the price hikes.

GBC