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SON may scrap 32.5 cement grade

By on March 21, 2014

Indications emerged on Wednesday that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria may scrap or modify the controversial 32.5 grade of cement, which is currently the lowest grade produced in the country.

Over the past few weeks, there have been debates on the right standard for cement and its contribution to building collapse in the country.

The decision to scrap or modify the 32.5 grade comes on the heels of a stakeholders’ technical meeting held in Lagos on Monday, which was convened by SON.

According to a source, who attended the meeting, when the 32.5 grade is scraped, the 42.5 grade, which is currently being used for heavy construction works, including bridges and high rise buildings, will become the lowest grade in the country.

“Invariably, the 32.5 will either be scraped or retained with some modifications,” the source disclosed.

When modified, the 32.5, which is presently the commonest type of cement for building construction, will only be allowed for certain aspects of construction other than for house construction.

Some stakeholders have raised concerns over the production of the 32.5 grade of cement in the country against the 42.5 grade that was earlier approved by SON for imported brands.

Some manufacturers have also commenced the production of the 42.5 grade of the product and above.

The Director-General, SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, had said during the inauguration of the technical committee to review the standard framework of the product, that there was no substandard cement in the country, adding that misapplication of both the 32.5 and 42.5 grades was what compromised the integrity of a building structure.

He had said, “It has become very important for us to review the standard of the product in order to safeguard lives. My interest is to ensure that Nigerians do not die from avoidable deaths. It is quite unfortunate that the cement issue has been politicised.

“We do not need to mix politics with technical issues. We want to follow the due process in making informed decisions.”

Major players in the industry are, however, divided on the development.

The Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Joe Hudson, had said the standard of cement being produced in the country was good and that the problem of building collapse was not that of cement, but a problem of enforcement of proper building standards and practices.

“We have different types of cement for specific applications; it is a misnomer to say that cement is responsible for building collapse,” he said.

 

 

[Punch]