Cement prices in Ghana are anticipated to decline in the near future as manufacturers submit proposals for the use of locally sourced materials.
Prof. Alex Dodoo, director general of the Ghana Standards Authority, reveals that two cement companies in Ghana wish to supplant clinker, an essential ingredient in the production of cement.
Prof. Alex Dodoo asserts that the move will reduce Ghana's dependence on clinker, thereby promoting economic development. Ghana spends over $500 million annually on clinker imports.
"Two significant players have proposed to the Ghana Standards Authority that cement not be made entirely from clinker. The corporations intend to provide raw materials to producers other than cement.
"Clinker will no longer be viewed as the only ingredient for cement, as there will be other locally-available substitutes," he said. "As a result, the price of cement will fall, creating jobs and reducing our reliance on clinker."
Facilitating the implementation of science-based sustainable construction technologies was the subject of his presentation at a public symposium in Kumasi.
The workshop is the result of a 2018 discussion between the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the German government. It aims to strengthen the capacity of Ghanaian construction laboratories and institutions to test Ghana's buildings and develop new sustainable building materials.
Cement manufacturers, a delegation from the Building and Road Research Institute of Ghana (CSIR-BRRI), and technical institutions in Ghana were also present at the meeting.
The workshop was organized by the Technology Consultancy Centre UNESCO Centre of Excellence in conjunction with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ghana Standards Authority, the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing (BAM) Germany.
Dr. Wolfram Schmidt, a senior researcher at the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), emphasized Africa's involvement in testing local materials for cement production.
He believes that standardizing these materials will guarantee their use in concrete technology.
"Africa is where the future of concrete technology will be invented. The continent is extremely resource-rich, but we have never previously considered it for concrete technology.
Optimistically, he states, "We must find ways to standardize these resources because they are identical to materials that are already standardized."
"We are working to develop research that can lead to the formation of businesses," he added.
Prof. Francis Davis, director general of the Technology Consultancy Centre (TCC) UNESCO Centre of Excellence, urged industry to reach out to the academic community with their requirements.
He believes it will aid in the efficient utilization of the outputs.
"Industry would need to reach out to academia in order to fulfill its requirements. Once academia is aware of the needs of industry, it conducts research to discover solutions to those needs. Once these solutions are discovered, industry, which is interested in the research, will adopt them and move forward," he said.
"Once we discover interest and a need for academic research, government and industry should fund its development," he said.
Prof. Davis also mentioned TCC UNESCO's intention to reach out to industrial partners in an effort to satisfy their requirements.
"Our major stakeholders will be satisfied if we go to them, engage them, learn their requirements, and then address the issue. By doing so, we will be able to stop completing research projects that wind up on shelves. We want our research to have a significant impact on society, he said.