Dangote, BUA and others were given a 14-day ultimatum to appear before a panel of representatives

The House of Representatives has issued a 14-day ultimatum to Dangote Cement, BUA Cement, Lafarge Cement, Asaka Cement and Eagle Cement to appear before its joint committee over the arbitrary increase in cement price across the country.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals, Hon. Gaza Gbefwi, issued the summons at a public hearing to investigate the arbitrary increase in the price of cement in Nigeria by cement manufacturers, organized by the Joint Committees on Commerce, Industry, Special Duties and Solid Minerals of the House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday.

The House passed a motion on “arbitrary increase in price of cement by cement manufacturers in Nigeria” and subsequently constituted the Joint Committee to investigate the matter.

But at the fact-finding hearing, five cement manufacturers in Nigeria, including Dangote Cement, BUA Cement, Lafarge Cement, Asaka Cement and Eagle Cement, did not appear and did not send any representative to brief the lawmakers.

Resolving in this regard the Hon. Gbefwi warned that the House of Representatives and the National Assembly did not receive any court order preventing them from inviting anyone, so those summoned must appear before the legislative panel.

“In the human nature of the House, because we owe them a duty of care, because they are equally Nigerians, we give them 14 days to make their submissions; Otherwise, as we have sworn to defend the Constitution, we will use everything we can. It is in our hands to ensure that Nigerians, number one: are not taken for granted and, number two, are not exploited.

“We will not stand by while some companies declare billions in naira and dollars every day and our people can barely afford to get a decent roof over their heads. We saw in Lagos that there were Nigerians under the bridge and paying rent. Because? If these products were available, I don’t think we would have to go this far. What’s more, God has blessed us with these resources in abundance.

“So, as it is the resolution of this joint committee, we will give them 14 days from now, and not 14 working days, 14 effective days to ensure that they make their submissions and appear before this House,” he said.

By declaring the investigative hearing open, the Vice President of the House, Hon. Benjamin Kalu said the persistent rise in cement prices has had a detrimental effect on the “built environment” and Nigeria in general, which was evident in the huge housing deficit that currently exists in Nigeria.

He said: “We are committed to collaborating with both cement manufacturers and end users, believing that this is the most effective way to improve the quality and standard of living of our citizens. We are also dedicated to enacting laws that prevent the recurrence of the factors
which led to the current situation.

“Our goal is to inform Nigerians about the current state of the industry and collaboratively find solutions to address the challenges. The persistent rise in cement prices has had a detrimental impact not only on the built environment but also on the entire economy. Cement is a fundamental component used in construction projects such as bridges, dams, homes, hydraulic works and road infrastructure. This makes addressing this issue paramount.”