Association Wants Suspension On Cement Importation Lifted

The leadership of Cement Producers Association of Nigeria (CPAN) has urged the Federal Government to lift suspension placed on cement import Licences.
Speaking to The Tide at the Onne Ports last Friday, the Chairman of the association, Chief David Iweta said lifting of the suspension was the only way to bring down the high cost of cement currently witnessed in the country.
Iweta said price of cement currently being sold at N1,800 per bag was on the higher side, stressing that lifting the suspension on importation of cement would bring down the price to N1,000 [per bag.
He said it was unacceptable to buy cement at N1,800 instead of N500 per bag as it was being sold by countries that have attained self-sufficiency and are net exporters of the commodity.
The association’s leader said Nigeria was yet to attain self sufficiency in cement production to push the price from the expected price for locally manufactured cement from about N500 to N1,800 per bag.
He decried the Federal Government’s 35 per cent duty imposed on cement import plus other import bills all amounting to 45 per cent, describing it as very astronomical.
The CPAN boss also lamented the suspension of all already granted cement import licenses issued in 2014, describing the development as a ploy by the government to ensure that some favoured cement merchants and manufacturers sell their cement at N1,800 per bag.
He said the action of the Federal Government had shut the doors to other players in the cement industry by blocking competition.
According to him, CPAN had noticed with dismay that such action had also led to poor quality of the cement produced in the country thereby leading to the frequent incidents of building collapse and loss of lives in major cities across the country.
The business mogul said unbaiting cement import would enhance quality of cement used in the country.

Philip Okparaji

L-R: Executive Director, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, Mrs Mayen Adetiba, Company Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Amade, Chairman/Managing Director, Mr Adetunji Oyebanji and Executive Director, Mr Alastair Macnaughton, at the company’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos, recently.