Ghanaian consumers and the construction industry are facing the looming threat of higher cement prices as severe congestion at the nation’s ports delays the delivery of clinker, the indispensable raw material for cement production.
The Chamber of Cement Manufacturers Ghana (COCMAG) has warned that the industry is “bleeding” financially due to massive demurrage charges incurred while vessels wait up to 20 days to berth.
In a swift response to the looming crisis, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, and the Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, convened an emergency meeting lady week with industry stakeholders. The goal was to find an immediate solution to the bottlenecks that have left shipments stranded for weeks.
Bishop Dr. George Dawson-Ahmoah, CEO of COCMAG, described the situation as critical. He explained that the prolonged delays are driving up the cost of production to unsustainable levels.
“The situation is dire. We are financially leaking due to these mounting demurrage charges. If these delays continue, the industry will have no choice but to pass these costs on to the domestic market,” Dr. Dawson-Ahmoah warned.
Currently, vessels are forced to wait between two to three weeks to offload, a delay that translates into thousands of dollars in daily penalties for manufacturers.
Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe assured the manufacturers that the government is working around the clock to expand port capacity through an intensive dredging project.
The Roadmap for Port Relief:
Short-Term (1-2 Weeks): Completion of works around Berth 14 is expected to provide partial relief and allow more vessels to dock.
Medium-Term (By end of June 2026): Dredging works will be finalized, allowing the port to handle vessels over 20,000 tonnes, a massive jump from the current 8,000-tonne limit.
Result: A significant reduction in traffic and waiting times for raw material shipments.
Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare noted that port efficiency is a direct pillar of price stability. “If we want good prices for cement, we must ensure production costs remain efficient. Port delays are a direct tax on the final consumer,” she said.
Impact on the Construction Sector
The President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Kofi Nsiah-Poku, lauded the proactive ministerial meeting but remained cautious. He noted that until the dredging is complete, the “upward pressure” on cement prices remains a reality.
For a construction sector already adjusting to a stabilizing economy, a spike in cement prices could stall infrastructure projects and housing developments across the country.
Industry analysts suggest that if the one-to-two-week relief at Berth 14 does not materialize, a bag of cement could see a marginal price hike as early as mid-March to cover the accumulated shipping losses.
