Foremost cement manufacturer, GHACEM Limited, has held a ground breaking ceremony to construct a modern truck terminal in Takoradi at the old slaughter house premises.

The truck terminal estimated to cost about 1.2 million Euros will be used by GHACEM bound cement trucks to and from Takoradi in a bid to enhance operations of the company.

Cutting the sod to officially commence the project, the Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of GHACEM, Rev Dr. George Dawson-Ahmoah, revealed that the project is targeted at facilitating the company’s operations and also enhancing business activities within the Takoradi metropolis by easing traffic.

He added that the project also formed part of the company’s corporate social responsibility of investing in communities in which it operates.

“With more trucks coming in, the expected revenue such as road tolls and taxes will be generated to develop the metropolis,” he said and called on stakeholders and the people in the area to give the necessary support.

Dr Dawson-Ahmoah reiterated GHACEM’s commitment to developing the economy and the people of Ghana in diverse ways.

He made reference to recent payment of GH¢8 million dividend to the Government for the 2016 financial year and the annual distribution of free cement under the GHACEM Cement foundation (GCF) to support educational and health institutions throughout Ghana.

“Till date from the inception of the GCF, a total of about 500,000 bags of cement have been allocated totaling about GH¢16 million benefitting about 4,500 communities throughout Ghana,” he opined.

Rev. Dr. Dawson-Ahmoah seized the occasion to appeal to government to address the unfair trade practices facing the local industry for it to thrive and become a major source of job creation.

“We welcome the Ghana International Trade Commission Act and hope it’s inaugurated soon”

Giving more details about the project, the Works Manager of the GHACEM Takoradi Plant, Jorn Johansen, announced that the project is expected to be completed by mid 2018 and will have facilities such as eating place, restrooms, offices for distributors/customers and the Sales and Marketing staff.

He expressed the hope that the huge investment will spur economic development in the region with the influx of more trucks but less traffic.

Also present to witness and endorse the project were Alberta Cudjoe, a member of the Council of State and K.K Sam, the Chief Executive of Secondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), who was optimistic the construction of the truck terminal would bring relief to the people within the municipality by curbing indecent parking of trucks in the area.