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CPAN, CMAN disagree on Nigeria’s cement production status

By BusinessNews Staff on February 23, 2014

CEMENT Producers Association of Nigeria, CPAN, is disputing the claim of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, CMAN, that Nigeria had attained self sufficiency in production of cement.

CPAN in a statement by its chairman, Mr. David Iweta, said: ‘’Current cement production in Nigeria is under 50 per cent of nation’s requirement and in countries that have attained self adequacy in cement production, cement is sold at N500 per bag, contrary to the N1,800 sold in Nigeria.

‘’It is strange for a group to deceive the Federal Government to believe that Nigeria has attained self sufficiency in the cement production when the product is selling foa above 100 per cent and 150 per cent as it is sold in other countries that have attained sufficiency like China, Taiwan, Turkey, India, Mexico, Spain, Greece, Romania and Norway, where cement is sold at N500 per bag of cement,” CPAN asserted.

The group said, ‘’The misleading information by CMAN to the Federal Government has resulted in pushing locally manufactured cement from the expected price of about N500 per bag to N1,800 per bag.”
It alleged that the Federal Government pushed up duty, levy and bills paid on cement import to between 35 and 45 per cent because of the half truths by a cabal, while all cement import licenses earlier granted by government were suspended.

‘’As at today, there is only one cement license holder in the name of IBETO cement that is importing cement. This is because they took Federal Government to court and obtained judgment in their favour. By this, they are to import cement till 2017, while others have withheld action against the Federal Government so as give room for the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to succeed. The action of CMAN has shut the doors to other players into the industry,” the group stated.

[Vanguard]

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