The Management of Western Steel and Forgings Limited (WSFL) has debunked allegations that it has commenced production in contravention of government directive to cease production until certain conditions are fulfilled.
The factory was closed down by the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah after three industrial accidents leading to the injury of a number of workers.
A statement released by Nana Ofosua Tamakloe, Corporate Affairs Director of WSFL, said the company was only undertaking test runs with the permission and consent of the Factories Inspectorate Department of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare.
“We are law abiding and will not at any time flout a government directive,” she emphasised.
Nana Tamakloe explained that “the test run which begun on Tuesday is… designed to ensure that Safety and Personal Protective Equipment
standards, as well as other industry standards are fully met”.
The test run, she noted, will help to gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of a Fume Extractor.
WSFL is Ghana’s Premier Steel and Forging Company, with a steel ingot manufacturing facility that the produces 3500mt ingots per month.
The company has a 16” automatic mill and can roll 6000mt of iron rods per month. It forges balls for Gold Mines and has the capacity to produce 2000mt of forged balls per month.
It also has an oxygen plant and drum making plant that produces 15000 drums per month.
WSFL, which is a solely owned Ghanaian company was established in 2005 and one of four steel mills operating in the country.
It currently has a work force of about 600 workers, made up of 440 permanent staff.