Dangote Cement gives reasons for building collapses in Nigeria

By Etuka Sunday

Dangote Cement Company yesterday gave reasons for the persistent building collapses in the country especially Lagos state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

Speaking at a workshop organised to demonstrate the proper usage of Cement for the Abuja based Concrete Block Makers, the Dangote Regional Manager, Marketing Services, Johnson Olaniyi said Lagos has so far contributed 52% of building collapses in the country, while Abuja recorded 28%, totalling 80%.

Olaniyi attributed the collapses to the greediness of block molders to deviate from the acceptable standards in order to make quick profit.

He said, the research he conducted round Abuja metropolis revealed that the block molders inspite of using the old 32.5R cement grade which is of lower quality, were producing 60 blocks from a bag of cement contrary to the professional standards.

Olaniyi said “the only antidote to the stoppage of collapse buildings in Nigeria is by all stakeholders; government, private developers, artisans and other users insisting on the right quality of cement which is 42.5R grade as against the current usage of 32.5R of their jobs irrespective of the nature of work.

“The regulatory body, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), should enforce the usage of the right quality cement while the masses should reject any other quality cement being sold at the same price with higher quality that may aggravate the menace of collapse building both now and in future,” he advised.

He said Dangote has not increase the price of cement as it was being speculated, saying that those who are buying at a higher price are those perhaps who refused to register with the company for direct supply.

Also speaking, the representative of the Head, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) FCT office, Danladi Walong said that the workshop was organised to review the skills of molders so as to ensure a standard products that can endure the test of time and be competitive in the global arena.

He listed lack of basic technical knowledge, lack of adequate training and lack of functional tools as some of the problems confronting the molding industry but assured that the practical demonstration would make the needed difference.