MPs tour B5 Plus factory

Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Government’s Assurance have paid a working visit to West Africa’s biggest steel and iron manufacturing company, B5 Plus. The 17-member Committee toured the factory on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, to verify whether or not the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, spoke the truth on the floor of Parliament when he said the company was performing well after its first phase was commissioned in September 2019. The $80 million factory located at Kpone in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana falls under the One District One Factory (1DF1), a flagship industrial initiative of the President Nana Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP). The Committee on Government’s Assurance is one of the Standing Committees of Parliament. It is enjoined by the Constitution of Ghana and the standing order of Parliament to examine, scrutinize and pursue promises, assurances and undertakings, given by a Minister from time to time. The MPs arrived at the factory at about 11:20am and were taken round the fabrication, melting and rolling plants, by officials of the company led by its Director, Mukesh Thakwani. Mr. Thakwani briefed the lawmakers on the operations of the company. He revealed that the factory was situated on a 400-acre land and currently providing about 10,000 direct and indirect jobs He explained that B5 Plus believes in delivering quality products and that the company was not only supplying Ghana alone buy the entire West African sub-region. The Director however appealed to Government to provide electricity and water to the factory  and solve land litigation issue. Chairman of the Committee, Collins Owusu Amankwah, speaking with the media shortly after the tour, said the MPs were highly satisfied with the work that the company was doing. He stated that the Committee would intervene to address concerns raised by the company including the shortage of water and electricity and solve land litigation issue. About B5 Plus Ghana B5 Plus Ghana Limited was established about 20 years ago with its corporate headquarters at Kpone near Tema, and was initially importing steel and iron from Cote d’ Ivoire and South Africa, but has grown to the stage where it now exports to other countries. In November 2018, the company supported the Ghanaian government’s One District One Factory initiative with the establishment of an $80 million steel factory at Ningo-Prampram in the Greater Accra Region. B5 Plus Limited operates in all the 15 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) nations. The company’s principal product is steel products which come in seven major categories such as mild steel, high tensile & iron rods, galvanized products, stainless steel, marine & mining, roofing & nails and concrete & fencing. Its vision is to become the world’s steel industry benchmark through the excellence of its people, its innovative approach and overall conduct. B5 Plus employs about 10,000 direct and in direct  people in Ghana and numerous others across the West African subregion.