Customers/distributors who have partnered the company to grow the cement business in the country were honoured at a grand event which gathered top industrial players and key stakeholders in the cement industry.

In his address, the Group Managing Director, Mr Prasad Motaparti expressed the group’s delight to host its partners/customers whose businesses have complemented their huge investments and particularly praised Ghanaians for the support.

“The success of Diamond Cement belongs to Ghanaians for accepting the brand,” he said.

Such support he noted had informed the group’s continuous investment in the economy.

He recalled the acquisition and reviving of the ailing Tema Steel Works of the Ghana Industrial Holding (GIHOC) now known as Tema Steel Company Ltd which had now transformed Ghana from an importer to exporter of steel.

“Cement as a scarce commodity in Ghana and West African Region has also seen the group’s investment in cement factories including: Diamond Cement Ghana Ltd (DCGL) in Aflao, Savanna Diamond Cement Ltd (SDCL)-Buipe which has an attachment of the first clinker factory in Ghana with the capacity to refine/upgrade limestone to produce clinker and the Western Diamond Cement Ltd (WDCL)-which employs the latest manufacturing processes with the use of a vertical rolling mill technology that produces better quality cement,” he said.

Mr Motaparti further mentioned the investment in the establishment of substations including: Aflao Substation (25MW) cost born by Diamond Cement Group and ECG and Buipe Substation established in collaboration with GRIDCO-a three phase supply with capacity of 25MW with the company using only 7MW and the remaining 18MW available for the region all as a form of a public private participation.

The WDCL & ECG jointly laid electric line in which the WDCL contributed USD 0.5 million for the line apart from facilitating to raise additional USD 2 million for funding the project and also the construction of the railway line connecting Port of Lome and DCGL in fulfilment of the group’s long cherished dream concept of interconnecting the railways of the ECOWAS countries.

He said Diamond Cement Group was also committed towards supporting the development of the three regions it operates in the areas of education and health with the construction of classrooms, bore holes and provision of direct and indirect employment for over 5,000 people. He added that the Diamond Cement Group also makes huge financial contribution to the state in terms of direct and indirect taxes with an annual contribution of GH¢250 million.

The Executive Secretary of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana (CMAG), Rev. Dr George Dawson-Ahmoah who was present to endorse the awards ceremony noted that loyal customers of the company deserved recognition confirming that “indeed due to their loyalty, the Diamond Cement Group has become a force to reckon with as far as the cement industry is concerned. Diamond Cement is a member of CMAG and their commitment to the association is unmatched”.

He commended Diamond Cement Group for their exploit in further refining/converting local limestone for the production of local clinker which is the biggest component in the production of cement.