Dangote calls for decisive action on building collapse

By Etuka Sunday

Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote has called on stakeholders in the building and construction industry to come together to confront the menace of building collapse in the country decisively saying it was high time a stop is put to it.

Dangote who was speaking through the Group Managing Director of the Company, Devakumar Edwin, in Obajana, Kogi State during a sensitization tour of the cement plant by the leadership of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria in the South West and Edo State said the incidence of structure failures has assumed a national embarrassment and there for the need for all to fashion a way out.

He explained that this was one of the reasons why his company hosted the block molders as a critical stakeholders, to the sensitization tour and practical demonstration of block making and lectures on how best to get the desired quality blocks need for strong structures.

Dangote also stated that the visit of the block moulders as well as the series of the sensitization workshops organized across the country for the block molders would assist in educating them to realize the fact that there are different grades of cements for different purposes and for different applications as prescribed by the regulatory authority, the Standard Organization Of Nigeria (SON).

The Business mogul told the block molders that Dangote Cement had been in the fire front of the campaign for quality and standardization so as to save the nation of the headache associated with  building collapse which lead to avoidable loss of lives and property.

Dangote cement he said had continued to research into quality improvement of the product “and has come up with Dangote Cement 42.5

3x,which is the best cement in the country. We have also continue to increase production capacity so that Nigeria can attain self sufficiency and even export the product. By the end of this year we will be attaining 29 million metric ton per year of cement production.”

Amid applause by the block molders, the Dangote Cement Chairman pleaded with the Association leadership to help in the task of putting a stop to the incidence of building collapse by educating their members of the appropriate application of right materials for block moulding.

Earlier, the Obajana Plant Director, Mr. J. V. Gungune told the block molders that one of the essence of taking them round the plant is for them to appreciate what the company go through in the process of bringing out a bag of cement from the mines to the loading bay.

Also speaking the Regional Director Sales, Muthu Jagdish expressed happiness that the block molders sought to know issues involved in cement production and application and urged them to help in the fight against building collapse.

In his address, the Coordinator of the tour and Dangote Cement Director of Sales and Marketing, Johnson Olaniyi told the block moulders’ leadership to ensure the lessons received during the sensitization tour percolates down the leadership hierarchy  so that the essence of their coming would be of positive effect.

Olaniyi then took the block moulders on the practical demonstration of how to make a quality block with the right mix of sand, cement and water.