By Etuka Sunday
Dangote Cement, one of the leading manufacturers of cement in Nigeria, at the weekend said it welcome House of Representatives’ plan to probe the alleged substandard cement in the Nigerian market.
Reps on Friday resolved to investigate the allegations that some companies are producing substandard cement in Nigeria.
The decision followed a motion raised by Hon. Ibrahim El-sudi which ecpressed concerns over the raging controversies vis a vis the high incidence of building collapse in parts ofbthe country.
The motion was unanimously adopted with the House promising to set up an ad-hoc committee to undertake the assignment of unravelling the truth or otherwise of the claim of existence of substandard cement.
Members of a Coalition of non -governmental Organisations had days ago alerted the nation to the existence in the market a 32.5 grade of cement said to be substandard and threatened to protest and report Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to Consumer Protection Commission for allowing such development.
The group reasoned that the cement must have been responsible for the incessant building collapse being experienced in the country.
It based its anger against SON on the fact that the cement being imported into the country is 42.5 which is a higher grade also approved by SON.
To allow some local producers to produce lesser quality of cement, the group reasoned smarked off double standard to the detriment of Nigerians.
Following the outburst by the coalition, a leading cement producer, Dangote Cement Plc came out to stoutly defend its product dissociating itself from production of any substandard cement.
The Company in statement said it has always produced the 42.5 from all its three plants in the country therefore welcomed the development and would be ready to cooperate with the authorities in their findings.
The statement said, Dangote cement does not produce substandard product and would support any effort at ensuring the right quality product is offered Nigerians.
It would also be recalled that the SON had persistently denied that there is substandard cement in the market.
A statement from the organisation in the wake of the controversies indicated though it has set up a committee to review the existing quality of cement but confirmed that there is no low quality cement produced by any company in Nigeria
