Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)

Ghana: Brick And Tile Manufacturers Cry for Gov't Support

Brick and tile manufacturers in the Brong-Ahafo Region have called on the government to come out with a policy that would help sustain the industry, since most of the manufacturing companies are on the verge of collapsing, due to the low patronage of their products.

According to the manufacturers, the government can achieve its aim of creating more jobs for the youth to mitigate the issue of irregular migration, as well as generate enough revenue, if it considers supporting the brick and tile industry.

They emphasised that Ghana is blessed with rich natural clay, which is the raw material for the production of quality bricks and tiles for the construction industry, which when utilised could help save the country huge sums of money.

Speaking in separate interviews with the managing directors of the Adantia Bricks and Tiles Company Limited, and Paramount Housing and Clay Enterprise, Mr. Kofi Sarfo Sakyi and Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Mensah respectively, they both explained the amount used to import clinker for the manufacturing of cement could be reduced to save the country enough income, if the use of local bricks and tiles is adopted.

According to the two MDs, the government's commitment to support the growth of private sector should not continually be the form of lip-service, but must be a reality, to make it really the engine of economic growth.

Mr. Kofi Sarfo Sakyi admitted that the manufacturing companies cannot depend on government for their sustainability, but a little support could help improve the economic situation of the industry.

He appealed that the government should give support in upgrading the technical know-how of the manufacturers in the production of brick and tiles to meet international standards, whilst helping them acquire modern equipment for identification and production of quality products.

Mr. Sakyi stressed that their equipment were obsolete and affects their work, and need to be upgraded, but the funding to do all this is hard to come by.

He noted that awareness creation on the quality and importance of the use of brick and tiles in building is minimal, since the cost of advocacy is very high, suggesting that it would be prudent for a policy to be initiated, so that various District Assemblies would liaise with the manufacturers, so that, at least, a percentage of their products could be used for the construction of public facilities like school buildings among others.

On his part, Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Mensah of Paramount Housing and Clay Enterprise, lauded the recent pronouncement by the government to embark on a housing scheme for farmers, pleading that the government should consider the use of brick for the intended projects, to create more jobs for the youth, and help sustain the industry as well.

He disclosed that his company had already initiated a similar project, called "Cocoa Farmers Housing Loan Program," which is part of a technical assistance program developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), in collaboration with Newmont Ghana Gold Limited.

Mr. Mensah continued that a loan package of GH¢300,000,000 had been assigned for the implementation, and that eligible cocoa farmers are required to apply for the housing loan from Paramount Housing and Clay Enterprise, which is to commence January 1 next year.

Pix: (top) The front view of the kiln for firing the clay products. (right middle) Some of the finished products. (bottom left) Mr. Emmanuel Mensah, MD, Paramount Housing and Clay. (bottom right) Mr. Kofi Sarfo Sakyi, MD, Adantia Brick and Tile


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  • upliftdarace_144
    Dec 4 2009, 09:27

    INDEPENDENT UNION IDEA

    I'm an entrepreneurial sort of person and I got an idea along those lines that I believe many of us who are grassroots thinkers have been overlooking.

    So here goes my idea :

    a) We have all kinds of Farmers and Farms that are struggling to make a profit. I believe that they are struggling because they are farming under a kind of Third World system that advantages the persons who convert what farmers produce.

    b) In most Third World countries , the First & Second World countries will only build enough infrastructure to allow shipment of RAW MATERIALS from their source(s) to the modes of shipping transportation used to transport the RAW MATERIALS to those First & Second World countries that will turn the RAW MATERIALS into processed goods.

    * For example - They will build a railroad line of tracks from some Third World country's gold and diamond mines ( e.g. Zaire ) to the Giant Ships docked and waiting to carry them to processors and sellers such as De Beers, Coca-Cola , Cadbury's etc..

    c) What kinds of RAW MATERIALS do Farmers produce and/or have access to :

    * Gold - Rice , Cocoa ,Mangos, etc…

    d) Major Problems stopping small farmers from taking advantage of the possibility of turning your products into a profitable business : LACK OF TIME

    e) Solution - My Idea : Form an Independent Union Of Farmers . Having a Coop is great, but it’s only a way of further enriching the processors of our RAW MATERIALS.

    * How would this work ?

    1) Each Region would represent a chapter of this Independent Farmers Union

    2) Generally speaking, each farmer would retain all of their rights ; just as they had before they joined the Independent Farmers Union .

    3) The Independent Farmers Union would be finance collectively by individual members paying dues.

    4) These dues which would be used to set-up business ventures in each Independent Farmers Union's Region.

    Some Examples Of Businesses That could be set up

    * Chicken Processing Plant, and restaurants that would sell the chickens could be supplied right their in each Independent Farmers Union's Region.

    * Produce Markets

    * Dairies

    * Ice Cream Parlors (using fresh milk)

    * Fast Food and/or Restaurants - featuring meat from various farm animals

    * Supermarkets

    * Chocolate Processors – instead of giving your cocoa to companies like Cadbury’s. What do companies like DeBeers, Coca Cola,Cadbury’s and others have that entitles them to get rich off of our Natural wealth ? NOTHING.. We empower them by our economic laziness !!!

    5) The Independent Farmers Union's would need persons with expertise in areas concerning the setting up and running of these businesses on behalf of the Independent Farmers Union's.

    WE ARE MAKING HUNDREDS WHILE GIVING AWAY BILLIONS TO OUR ECONOMIC SLAVE MASTERS !!!

    THERE IS NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T TAKE CONTROL OF OUR OWN COUNTRY !

    - FEED YOURSELVES SUGGESTION -

    NEIGHBORHOOD COOP GREENHOUSES

    ANOTHER SUGGESTION IS FOR THOSE LIVING IN THE CITY TO POOL

    THEIR RESOURCES TOGETHER AND MAKE NEIGHBORHOOD COOP

    GREENHOUSES . HERE YOU CAN GROW SOME KIND OF FOODS AND NOT

    BE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GROCERY STORES.

    HERE’S SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT BLACK AFRICANS HAVE DONE :

    BLACK AFRICAN INVENTORS AND THEIR INVENTIONS

    The type of Invention is capitalized (e.g. TRAFFIC SIGNAL, MOTOR, etc..)

    We Black Africans Can Be Self-Sufficient . Here are some major Black Africans who have had an impact on the world With their initiative These are INVENTORS .

    This Listing includes The Inventor’s Name, Their Invention and in some cases the date the invention was recognized and the invention’s U.S. patent number.

    * Sarah Boone - IRONING BOARD - April 26, 1892

    * John A. Burr - LAWN MOWER

    * Marie V. Brittan Brown - HOME SECURITY SYSTEM - Dec 2, 1969

    * Buridge & Marshman - TYPEWRITER

    * George Carruthers - X-RAY MACHINE

    * George Washington Carver - PEANUT BUTTER - PAINTS – PAINT STAINS – ETC

    * John Clark - TRACK ATHLETE TRAINER

    * W.A. Dietz - SHOE

    * Joseph Dickinson - PLAYER PIANO - ARM FOR RECORD PLAYER

    * P.B. Downing - POSTAL LETTER BOX

    * Charles R. Drew - BLOOD PLASMA STORAGE SYSTEM

    * T. Elkins - TOILET (COMMODE)

    * Robert Flemming Jr. - GUITAR

    * Cathleen McCoy Garrett SIREN - HORN LIGHT INDICATOR

    * George F. Grant - GOLF TEE

    * J. Gregory - MOTOR

    * Joanna Hardin - KEYBOARD STAND - Feb 23, 1993

    * Michael Harney - LANTERN

    * Solomon Harper - THERMO(HEATED) HAIR CURLERS

    * Augustus Jackson - ICE CREAM

    * B.F. Jackson - GAS BURNER

    * H.A. Jackson - KITCHEN TABLE

    * Ruane Jeter - DIGITAL TOASTER - April 14, 1987

    * Isaac R. Johnson - BICYCLE FRAME

    * John A. Johnson - WRENCH

    * Lonnie Johnson - SUPER SOAKER WATERGUN

    * P. Johnson - EYE PROTECTOR (GOGGLES)

    * W. Johnson - EGG BEATER

    * Frederick M. Jones - DEFROSTER - REFRIGERATION CONTROLS – AIR CONDITIONER

    * Jones & Long - BOTTLE CAPS

    * John H. Jordan - CLOTHES DRESSER

    * Mary B. Kenner - SANITARY BELT (TAMPONS) - May 15, 1956

    * Mary B. Kenner - SANITARY BELT (WATERPROOF) - April 14, 1959

    * Mary B. Kenner - BATHROOM TISSUE HOLDER - Nov 19, 1982

    * Mary B. Kenner - BACKWASHER ( BATHTUB OR SHOWER MOUNTED) - July 29,1987

    * Lewis Latimer & Nichols - ELECTIC LAMP

    * W.A. Lavalette - PRINTING PRESS

    * F.W. Leslie - ENVELOPE SEAL

    * Maurice W. Lee PRESSURE COOKER

    * A.L. Lewis - WINDOW CLEANER

    * John L. Love - PENCIL SHARPENER

    * Tony J. Marshall - FIRE EXTINGUISHER

    * Alexander Miles - ELEVATOR

    * Jan E. Matzeliger - SHOE LASTING MACHINE

    * W.A. Martin - LOCK

    * Garrett A. Morgan - GAS MASK - Traffic Signal

    * Lydia Newman - HAIR BRUSH - Nov 15, 1898

    * Alice H. Parker - HEATING FURNACE - Dec 23, 1919

    * J.F. Pickering - AIR SHIP (BLIMP)

    * Purdy & Sadgwar - FOLDING CHAIR

    * W.B. Purvis - FOUNTAIN PEN

    * L.P. Ray - DUST PAN

    * W.H. Richardson - BABY BUGGY

    * Walter Sammons - PRESSING COMB

    * G.T. Sampson - CLOTHES DRYER

    * Dewey Sanderson - URINALYSIS MACHINE

    * Ralph Sanderson - HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBER

    * S.R. Scottron - CURTAIN ROD

    * Adolph Shamms - MULTI -STAGE ROCKET

    * .W. Smith - LAWN SPRINKLER

    * Richard B. Spikes - AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT

    * J. Standard - REFRIGERATOR

    * T.W. Stewart - MOP

    * Maxine Snowden - RAIN HAT - 1983

    * Theora Stephens - PRESSING & CURLING IRON

    * Rufus J. Weaver - STAIR -CLIMBING WHEELCHAIR

    * Paul E. Williams - HELICOPTER

    * J.B. Winters - FIRE ESCAPE LADDER

    * Granville T. Woods - Telephone System Apparatus Oct 11, 1887 – Patent # 371, 241

    * Granville T. Woods - Roller Coaster

    * Granville T. Woods - Auto Air Brake - June 10, 1902 - Patent # 701, 98

    * Granville T. Woods - Telegraph Transmission Devices - Dec 2, 1884 Patents # - 308, 816 (7)

    * Thanks to The Black Inventors Museum *

    * Address : P.O. Box 76128 - Los Angeles , Calif. (90076)

    * Phone (310) 859-4602)

    * Director : Ghanaian Mr. Hamza Salifa

    * Major Contributor of Information : SEESTAH Imahkus Nzinga Okofo

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