A cement manufacturing company in the Ashanti Region has been shut down for alleged using inferior materials in its cement production.

Two directors of the Kumasi Cement Ghana Limited were also arrested on Tuesday in an operation by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).

This follows earlier warnings for the company to halt operations until granted permission.

Last week, three cement manufacturers in the Ashanti region were directed by the Ghana Standards Authority to suspend operations due to concerns over the quality of their products.

Kumasi Cement Ghana Limited, however, failed to comply, resulting in the forced closure.

The move is part of a larger effort to crack down on substandard cement production across the country and protect consumers in accordance with the Ghana Standards Authority Act 2022.

The exercise covers the prohibition of new cement factories, pending a streamlined permit issuance process by regulatory institutions.

Speaking to JoyNews, the Ashanti Regional Director of the GSA, Samuel Kofi Frimpong said tests were conducted based on which the decisions were taken.

“We tested all the raw materials in the cement production in all cement manufacturing companies in the country and after our analysis, the test results showed that they are not using the right materials” he said.

According to Mr. Frimpong, the Ghana Standards Authority intends to continue the exercise across the country to ensure producers comply with laid down requirements in the production of cement.

“We started a national exercise in 2018 and so it is a national exercise and we will certainly continue. We have started and we have to continue and it won't be about cements. We are going to ensure that the right materials are in the market,” he added.