GHACEM Cement Foundation supports schools and hospitals

Koforidua, Nov. 20, GNA - Ghacem Cement Foundation on Friday donated=

14,000 bags of cement worth GH¢ 149,000 to schools and hospitals in the=

southern zone at a ceremony in Koforidua. Nana Prah Agyensaim VI, Chairman of the Ghacem Foundation, indicated=

that the foundation was set up eight years ago to help rural communities. The beneficiary regions are Western, Central, Greater Accra, Volta a= nd Eastern Regions

He said the northern sector was earlier supplied with 18,000 bags of=

cement as the company's social responsibility. Nana Agyensaim appealed for an enabling environment to be created fo= r investors to invest in the country adding that when investors were harass= ed it would compel them to invest their resources elsewhere. He said the company sank GH¢ 58 million direct and indirect taxes to the economy and was also creating more jobs as well. Nana Agyensaim said it was therefore important to create an enabling=

atmosphere for such companies to operate adding, "Take politics out and l= et the entrepreneurs do their work". He said contrary to what people would say Ghana enjoyed the lowest price of a bag of cement in the whole world. Nana Agyensaim appealed to the beneficiaries to use the cement for t= he intended purposes and to ensure that none of them was diverted.

Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, who was the speci= al guest of honour, noted that the donation to Schools, hospitals and other outfits was one of the biggest corporate social responsibility packages t= hat had been introduced in the country.

"It is an undeniable fact that the donation has helped many communiti= es in this country in the provision of school infrastructure". Mr Ofosu-Ampofo indicated that government was not oblivious of the contributions of Ghacem towards the socio-economic development of the country. "The numerous infrastructural developments going on throughout the country such as roads, schools, hospitals, libraries and teachers' quarte= rs make use of cement, a large number of which is produced by Ghacem". He indicated that it was in such light that government deemed Ghacem= , the leader in the cement industry, as a partner in the execution of government projects and would provide an enabling environment for its continuous operation. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said educational infrastructure remained one of the key challenges confronting the country in its pursuit of quality education adding that the humanitarian gesture emanating from Ghacem Foundation was=

therefore very laudable.

He expressed worry about the recent impasse between Ghacem and the Kroboland and therefore appealed to the two parties to exercise restraint=

and tolerance while the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) tried to resolve it. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo appealed to Ghacem to periodically donate cement to the RCC to assist people who were in distress such as disasters and extreme poverty.