The 600,000-tonne capacity Diamond Cement Factory at Aflao is expected to start production by September this year.

Mr Ratner Babu, General Manager of the company announced this when Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Volta Regional Minister visited the project as part of his familiarisation tour of Aflao on Thursday.

Mr Babu said even though construction work appears to be behind schedule, management is working hard to ensure its completion on schedule.

He said the company would provide about 400 jobs to the youth. Mr Babu conducted the Minister and his entourage round the clinker and cement silos, grinding mill, storage unit, unloading hopper, workshop, laboratory and the packaging unit, which are at various levels of construction.

Mr Owusu-Yeboa expressed satisfaction with the progress of work and pledged the government's co-operation towards its completion.

He said the government would institute measures to facilitate initiatives by the private sector in industrial development including elimination of administrative bottlenecks, which hamper local and foreign investors.

He asked the management of the company to establish subsidiary industries in the rural areas to provide employment for the people.