Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the price of cement has escalated over the last few days across the country.

According to cement sellers and stakeholders, “clinker”, the raw material used to produce cement is imported and since its price has increased in the international market owing to the pandemic, a bag of cement which was earlier sold for GHC 38 is now being sold for GH¢41.

In a radio interview, the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Real Estate Developers’ Association (GREDA) – Mr. Samuel Amegayibor said, “There has been a price hike because of certain challenges which industry players are facing while importing the major raw material called ‘Clinker” which is used to produce cement. We don’t have it here and it is a very small quantity that we are able to get locally.

‘Clinker’ is mainly imported and we are being told that some of its sources have closed down. The international market price of ‘Clinker’ has gone up and so has the cost of shipping”.