Ghana’s Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has formally petitioned the Ministry of Finance to conduct an urgent review of recently revised Free on Board (FOB) benchmark values applied to key cement production inputs, following concerns that the changes could drive up construction costs and threaten industry stability.
The intervention follows a petition submitted on April 13, 2026, by the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers Ghana (COCMAG), signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr George Dawson-Ahmoah, which raised alarm over sharp upward revisions to the FOB values of clinker and granulated furnace slag, two critical raw materials in cement production. According to the industry submission, the FOB value of clinker has been raised from USD 40.00 to USD 136.00 per metric ton, while granulated furnace slag has moved from USD 3.00 to USD 40.00 per metric ton. The adjustments are attributed to the introduction of a Publican AI system, which has triggered a reassessment of applicable duties and taxes on imported raw materials.
The Trade Ministry, in conveying COCMAG’s petition to its Finance counterpart, described the revisions as potentially capable of substantially raising production costs across the cement value chain. It cautioned that such increases carry a likely pass-through effect on end-user prices, with implications for affordability in the housing, construction and infrastructure sectors. The Ministry has requested the Finance Ministry’s direct engagement to balance fiscal considerations against the sustainability of a sector it regards as central to Ghana’s development agenda.
COCMAG also raised concerns that the revised FOB values were introduced without adequate consultation with industry stakeholders, and that the sharp adjustments are inconsistent with prevailing global market trends for these inputs.
The development adds to a run of cost pressures facing cement manufacturers. Earlier in 2026, COCMAG had separately flagged port congestion at Ghana’s harbours, warning that demurrage charges from clinker shipments stranded for up to three weeks were creating significant financial strain. The sector has also contended with the impact of cedi depreciation on dollar-denominated input costs, with approximately 77 percent of cement production inputs priced in foreign currency. Imported clinker alone is subject to no fewer than 22 distinct taxes and fees before reaching manufacturing plants.
