Dzata Cement Chief Executive Officer and sole shareholder Ibrahim Mahama has reaffirmed his belief in Ghanaian entrepreneurship, saying Ghanaians have the capacity to build and own major industrial enterprises rather than remain dependent on foreign companies.
Speaking at the five-year anniversary celebration of Dzata Cement, Mr Mahama recounted the journey that led to the establishment of the cement manufacturing company, describing it as a product of determination, risk-taking and confidence in local enterprise.
He said the idea to establish a cement plant emerged while he was working as a cement transporter, supplying cement from Takoradi to Tarkwa, where he was also involved in mining contracting.
According to him, curiosity about how cement was manufactured led him to follow his trucks into the Ghacem facility in Takoradi to observe the production process.
He said what he saw convinced him that building a cement manufacturing plant in Ghana was achievable.
Mr Mahama explained that with the help of technical experts and the support of financial institutions, he acquired the necessary equipment, laid the foundation and began putting the plant together.
However, he said the project faced significant challenges, including financial difficulties and the complexity of installing and testing the equipment.
He recounted how his younger brother encouraged him to bring in an expert to help complete the installation after he had become frustrated with the project.
According to him, the expert assessed the equipment already acquired and concluded that the company had what it needed to establish the plant, requiring mainly the funds to complete the installation.
Mr Mahama said the company initially had to purchase cement from another producer to test its equipment before it eventually began producing its own cement.
He also recalled instances when the company faced financial difficulties, including a period when it had ordered cement but lacked the funds to clear it.
Beyond his personal experience, Mr Mahama said his decision to establish Dzata Cement was also driven by a desire to challenge the perception that Ghanaians could not build large-scale industrial enterprises.
He recalled a conversation with the then boss of Ghacem, Martin, who he said told him that no Ghanaian could build a cement plant.
Mr Mahama said the comment strengthened his determination to prove otherwise.
“I also have this challenge that for far too long, we Ghanaians put ourselves slow, and we want to always slave — be the slave to the foreigners. That’s what determined me to build this,” he said.
He said his ambition extends beyond Dzata Cement, noting that he intends to venture into other areas to demonstrate that Ghanaians can create and own businesses capable of competing with foreign companies.
“We can’t always be beggars, and we can’t only just be employees to foreign companies. We can build it ourselves,” Mr Mahama said.
He further encouraged Ghanaian business owners to give younger people opportunities to take risks and manage businesses, stressing that entrepreneurs would not remain in their positions forever.
He said creating opportunities for the next generation to take responsibility was essential to ensuring the continuity and growth of Ghanaian-owned businesses.
Source: Newspyramid.com
