The planned increase in cement prices has been suspended following a high-level engagement between the Ministers for Transport and Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), and cement manufacturers, averting what would have been a fresh financial burden on consumers and the construction industry.
The meeting, held on Friday, September 11, 2026, came amid mounting concerns from cement producers over escalating demurrage charges caused by severe congestion at the Tema Port, where clinker vessels have been waiting for up to 40 days to discharge their cargo .
Emergency Berth Secured to Clear Backlog
As part of immediate interventions agreed at the meeting, an additional berth has been secured at the Tema Port to help clear a growing backlog of clinker vessels and halt the escalating demurrage costs threatening cement manufacturers .
The intervention follows a worsening clinker congestion crisis, with the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Ghana (COCMAG) reporting that vessel waiting times had risen from an average of seven days in January 2026 to between 30 and more than 40 days by August 2026. The industry estimated demurrage costs at between US50 million in the first eight months of the year alone .
Ministers Demand End to Pass-Through Costs
Speaking to journalists after touring the Tema Port, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, said the government could not allow the situation to continue and urged manufacturers to resist using the congestion as a justification for further price increases.
“We are here to see firsthand what we can all do together to ensure that the cement manufacturers are able to clear their clinker timeously to avoid demurrage and then further increases in prices,” she said .
The Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, said the recently completed dredging of the Tema Port would provide a major part of the long-term solution by allowing larger vessels to berth.
“The dredging is finished as we talk now. The only thing is to notify all the shipping lines in the world through the shipping industry that we now have a draft that can take bigger vessels,” he said .
He further urged cement manufacturers to consider consolidating their clinker imports into larger vessels to reduce the number of vessels waiting offshore, and said the government would engage the manufacturers on measures to improve the turnaround time for evacuating clinker from the port to their warehouses and production facilities .
Background: The GH¢12 Surcharge and the Clinker Crisis
The suspension of the planned price increase follows the introduction of a temporary GH¢12 per-bag clinker demurrage surcharge by the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Ghana (COCMAG) on August 28, 2026. The surcharge comprised GH¢10 before tax and GH¢2 in applicable taxes and levies, and was scheduled to remain in place until December 31, subject to monthly review .
COCMAG had maintained that the charge was not a general increase in cement prices but a temporary measure to recover exceptional demurrage costs incurred due to port delays. The Chamber said the surcharge could be adjusted or withdrawn if port congestion eased and demurrage costs declined .
The congestion crisis has been driven by multiple factors. Clinker vessels waiting at anchorage incur demurrage charges of approximately US1 million in penalty fees before offloading a single tonne of cargo . Ghana’s heavy dependence on imported clinker leaves local cement producers particularly exposed to prolonged vessel delays.
According to COCMAG, only three main berths are currently available for clinker discharge at Tema Port, while Berths 10 and 11 remain inaccessible to cement manufacturers and importers. The Chamber has been seeking increased berth capacity and restored access to the affected berths .
Port Authority Pushes Back on Congestion Claims
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has rejected claims by COCMAG that congestion at the Port of Tema is solely responsible for recent increases in cement prices.
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 10, GPHA said congestion alone cannot justify price hikes, stressing that several operational and commercial factors determine the cost of importing clinker and cement. The Authority explained that dredging works at the bulk cargo section of the port were undertaken in anticipation of larger vessels and growing cargo volumes, and that cement companies were informed in advance to plan vessel arrivals and berthing schedules .
GPHA further noted that vessels carrying about 40,000 tonnes of clinker often rely on limited trucking capacity to transport cargo to factories, and that delays in trucking and traffic congestion slow discharge operations, resulting in vessels occupying berths for seven to ten days. The Authority announced plans to modernise cement and clinker handling at Tema, moving away from traditional grabs and hoppers towards more efficient systems .
Broader Port Efficiency Challenges
The cement crisis has exposed deeper structural issues at Ghana’s largest port. A Ghana Shippers Authority assessment report published in September 2026 found that about 70% of containers at Tema’s Terminal 3 undergo full physical inspections, seven times the rate recommended by the World Customs Organization. The $1.5 billion terminal, which can handle 3 million TEUs a year, has already handled 2.5 million TEUs in 2026 before the peak season .
While the terminal operates modern cranes and automated systems on the seaward side, the land side suffers from a single congested access road and no rail connection to its hinterland. Inland container depots that could help relieve pressure remain underused, and empty containers occupy valuable space, according to the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders .
Temporary Relief, Long-Term Questions
The suspension of the planned cement price increase provides temporary relief to consumers and the construction industry, where cement remains one of the most critical building materials. Developers, contractors, and individual home builders have already been grappling with high construction costs, and any significant increase in cement prices could have further raised the cost of building projects .
The Director-General of the GPHA, Major General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, expressed confidence that measures being implemented would clear the backlog before the peak season ends in October.
“Measures have been put in place to decongest the port, and we are confident that the situation will improve before the end of October,” he said .
The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether cement prices can remain stable. The outcome of the government’s interventions—including the additional berth, the emergency acquisition of two cranes, and the push for improved cargo evacuation—will determine whether the temporary surcharge can be withdrawn and whether consumers will be spared further cost increases .
