The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has shut down Kumasi Cement Ghana Limited in the Ashanti Region for allegedly using inferior materials in its cement production.
The GSA also arrested two company directors in collaboration with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday, November 21.
According to the Ashanti Regional Director of GSA, Samuel Kofi Frimpong, the cement company was forewarned to halt operations until permission was granted.
However, the company failed to obey the directive, which forced the authorities to crack the whip.
“Testing the raw material, we went to all the cement-producing companies in Ghana. We did everything. The test results show that they are not using the right raw materials, especially the limestone, for the production, and that prompted us to call them to a meeting to discuss the issue.
“We are under trade and industry, so we also have to ensure that we improve the growth of trade in this country. We called them, but they declined. We followed up with a visit to their factory. When we met them, we had to inform them that they had to take steps to address the no-conformities raised because it will affect the cement production in the country,” he said.
Mr Frimpong clarified that the move was one of the many measures the GSA had adopted to ensure that only high-quality products are produced for the market.
He stressed that his outfit will not relent in ensuring that all manufacturers perform due diligence.
“The Ghana Standards Authority intends to continue the exercise across the country to ensure producers comply with the laid down requirement in the production of cement.
“In 2018, we started a national exercise called cement surveillance. This is a national exercise,e so we are going to continue. It is something we want to do because posterity will judge GSA if we leave this exercise. After all, we have started,” he said in an interview on Joy News, monitored by The Ghana Report.