Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is advocating benefits of the One District One Factory (ID1F) initiative be extended to Dzata Cement to spur growth of the company.
Such decision, he said, will help the company to expand and employ more young people, especially being an indigenous manufacturing business.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu made the call when he led, along with the Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu, members of the Parliamentary Select Committees on Trade and Industry and Works and Housing on a familiarisation tour of the Dzata Cement factory at the Tema Port
Speaking to members of the Parliamentary Press Corps, he called for tax relief to be granted to the company and noted supporting local companies to increase their production capacity would scale up employment and help in closing the unemployment gap in the economy.
“This factory, we are told is, still in its infancy. But even now employs more than 400 direct workers with agents and distributors across the length and breadth of this country. Certainly, if you’re talking about numbers in excess of maybe 3,000 or 4000 or so.”
“Many people have to depend on this factory, certainly lifting them out of poverty, which is what Ghana requires, at this time, especially post COVID and into the debacle that is unfolding in Ukraine.”
“So, it is a huge adventure, the cement manufacture has been, more or less a monopoly in this country, for somebody to enter in such a bold manner to tell you that the man is correct, yes, no wonder he named this factory as an animal of courage (Dzata). And I think that thus far, we are most impressed by what we have seen.”
The industrial visit was to allow the MPs to learn firsthand the challenges and operations of the company.
The Majority Leader who also doubles as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs called on the House to consider providing Dzata the necessary tax exemptions required for the importation of equipment for the company’s production.
“I know the 1D1F comes along with some facilities which are being enjoyed by some companies and even though Dzata is already in operation. So, can we not extend the same to them as an indigenous firm in the cement production chain,” he queried?
He lauded the company for its environmental practices and eco-friendly nature which sees the cement dust being sucked back into the factory for production.
“Cement is a pollutant and in many places, when you go you see the environmental pollution. Here, I think we are all overwhelmed by the cleanliness of this place, it involves quite a lot, because I’m just asking the question, and we’ve been informed that there are giant, suction flask, overhead, to really, if I just put it bluntly, really inhale the dust, and it’s ploughed back into the manufacturing system. So that is a good example of making the environment clean and because if it is clean, it positively affects the work rate, and the healthiness of the workers themselves.”
“I am happy at what we see here in terms of environmental protection and the minimisation of risk on the workers as well because I have seen many workers from cement factories that have developed health complications for working in cement factories between four to five years,” the Majority leader said.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, on the other hand said the success story of Dzata Cement ought to be a wake-up call to the political elites to grow above petty partisanship so as to grow indigenous businesses regardless of political colours.
“Political colours should not be a guiding factor in determining who does what in our country and this should be a reminder that the opportunities of Ghana must be to the benefit of all and thus if there’s any potential Ghanaian businessman is capable of showing promise and working to succeed, we should together support the person.”
“I believe this should not be above the state of Ghana especially when we want to open opportunities for employment and to alleviate poverty through that and the good thing about cement is the value chain of all persons associated with its trade, and together, we must support genuine Ghanaians enterprises so as to lift our special from poverty,” he emphasised.
Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku urged Ghanaians to buy Dzata Cement to enable the country to achieve its true industrialisation agenda.
“I have not been here before, but coming here today and seeing the work that is happening here, I am very impressed and I think we must all support the company to grow. We all need to buy the product to give true meaning to Ghana’s industrialisation agenda. Frankly, I am very impressed,” Mr Opoku Ansah said.
The Executive Director of Dzata Cement, Ibrahim Mahama, said the company had provided direct employment to some 400 Ghanaians and commended the general populace for supporting the company to chalk the success it had attained so far.
“When we came, we thought we will not have the traction we currently have but we have been very happy with the response to the cement that has filtered into the market. Our competitors or our seniors in the market have felt our presence and going forward your support will really cement us to be able to do better,” he said.
Mr. Mahama however said there were many Ghanaians who could accomplish the feat he had achieved if the leaders of Parliament will rally support for him and others.