The Block Moulders Association of Nigeria has
expressed concern over an alleged circulation of substandard cement and the
type that should be used in building construction.
A coalition of civil society groups and
professional bodies in the construction industry had last week raised the alarm
about the manufacturing and importation of poor quality cement into the
country.
The group had said in a document made available
to newsmen that there was a laxity in the regulation and enforcement of
standards, which made it possible for cement manufacturers and importers in the
country to supply the lower grade of 32.5mpa instead of the 42.5 grade into the
local market.
Following the allegation, the association of
block moulders stated on Sunday that it was not comfortable with the claim as
it had worked closely with regulatory authorities to ensure the use of quality
cement in the last few years.
The National President of the association, Alhaji
Rasheed Adebowale, stated that block moulders had constantly been trained on
the use of standard products and effective delivery of projects.
“We are part and parcel of the construction
industry sector and major end users of the product; we are not comfortable with
the civil liberty organisation’s claims about the development and the
allegations on the cement type and alleged poor regulation of the sector,” he
said.
According to him, the association resolved to
intervene in the raging issue because the sector provides for their livelihood.
Adebowale added that the ban on importation of
cement and stabilisation of the product’s price by the Federal Government had
gone a long way in moving the sector forward.
He said that last year, over 2,000 delegates of the
association attended a stakeholders’ workshop, where experts in the sector
groomed them on how to produce quality blocks and on the strength of different
types of cement and their implication.
He added that block testing machines were
deployed to state offices in order to encourage end users to do the right
thing.
He called on the Federal Government to support
the efforts to strengthen the building and construction sector.
The Chairman of the Lagos chapter of the
association, Alhaji Abegunde Okunola, said the government could also empower
block moulders.
“We can help in curbing the use of substandard
materials,” he said.
Copyright PUNCH.
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