The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has launched a nationwide enforcement campaign targeting substandard cement production, in a decisive move to protect consumers and uphold quality standards in Ghana’s construction sector.
Appearing before Parliament on Tuesday, Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare announced that over 300 new Trading Standards Inspectors have been deployed across the country to step up enforcement efforts and enhance consumer safety.
This initiative, she said, is part of a broader quality assurance strategy led by the Ministry in collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), aimed at ensuring compliance with industrial standards and building public trust in locally manufactured products.
“In April alone, 82 cement samples were collected from factories and markets nationwide for laboratory analysis, further surveillance carried out from May 6 to 15 utilised advanced techniques like x-ray fluorescence to test chemical composition and verify compliance with safety standards,” the Minister said.
She warned that any company found producing or distributing substandard cement will face immediate closure and sanctions under Ghana’s product standards enforcement regulations.
The government’s action comes amid growing public concern over the rise of low-grade building materials, which experts say threaten the structural integrity of buildings and endanger lives.
“This is not just about cement, it’s about rebuilding confidence in our local industries and ensuring consumers receive safe, high-quality products,” Madam Ofosu-Adjare stated.
The cement crackdown is one element of a wider industrial reform agenda.
The Minister also noted ongoing industrial transformation agenda, the enforcement of quality standards, is expected to play a central role in boosting export competitiveness, protecting consumers, and attracting investment.
