Ghana: Dangote Cement has defended its conduct against accusations of tax evasion, dumping and other unfair trade practices by local cement producers. Tor Nygard, managing director of Dangote Cement Ghana, defended the Nigerian company at a press conference in Tema saying that the company's entry into the local market had stabilised the price of cement and strengthened competition, according to the Business and Financial Times newspaper. He also described the attacks by market competitors as ‘smear tactics.’

The Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana (CMAG), representing local cement producers such as Ghacem and Diamond Cement, lobbied the Ghanaian government in October 2016 calling for a ban on imports of cement.

Nygard dismissed accusations of dumping cement in Ghana from Nigeria and confirmed that the company pays all the relevant taxes on its imports. He added that Ghacem and Diamond Cement employ 3000 workers after 55 years of operation but that Dangote Cement employs 2000 workers in the country after only six years of operation. Finally, he detailed plans for the company’s new US$100m cement grinding plant in Takoradi that is due to be commissioned at the end of 2017.