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Tag: SON

  • Body warns against flouting SON’s policy on cylinders

    THE Nigerian Liquiefied Petroleum Gas Association (NLPGA) has warned its over 200 members against flouting the policy of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria’s (SON) on gas cylinders. Such offenders are to be prosecuted.

    Its President, Dayo Adesina, told The Nation that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) would prosecute any marketer who frustrates SON’s policy of removing obsolete cooking gas cylinders from the market and replacing them with new ones in the next six months.

    He said his members were aware of the powers of the DPR to prosecute defaulters, adding that the development became necessary to ensure compliance when the policy takes effect in June.

    Adesina said: “The roles of the two regulatory bodies – the DPR and SON- are crucial on this issue. DPR is vested with the powers to regulate operators in the oil and gas industry. Its duty is to ensure that operators comply with policies formulated for the growth of the sector. By this, DPR has the powers to prosecute operators that refuse to comply with the new policy on cooking gas cylinders.

    “Our members would also monitor users of cylinders to ensure compliance to the policy. They know much about cylinders and are in a position to hold consumers who use defective cylinders responsible.

    ‘’You cannot be our members and at the same time, be involved in unsafe practices. We have a code of conduct that guides our operations. If there is any breach, DPR and SON have the rights to sanction erring aoperators to encourage the growth of the sub-sector.’’

    He explained that his members know the intricacies of the LPG market, compositions and quality of cooking gas cylinders, and are, therefore, in a position to differentiate between the old and the new; sub-standard and quality cooking gas cylinders.

    The body, Adesina said, has regulations, which members must comply with, or face sanctions. He said the association was working on modalities for the implementation of the policy.

    “The document on cooking gas cylinders is in exhaustive. SON is yet to tell the public the direction it is taking on the issue. The scheme is long-term; the issue of retracting the old cylinders would take some time. At the moment, consumers own cylinders, coupled with the fact that there is no control over the use. Though SON regulates the cylinders coming to Nigeria, there is no control over the product.’’

    He said a paradigm shift from the individual to institutional ownership of cooking gas cylinders would take place as a result of the policy. The idea, he said, would change the LPG’s market structure because marketers would own LPG cylinders, and not the consumers.

    Efforts to get the DPR to comment on the issue proved abortive as calls made to the agency was not returned.

    SON had planned to come out with guidelines on the quality of LPGs. The aim is to regulate cooking gas coming to Nigeria, and ensure that consumers use the right product.

  • SON: consumers no longer to own cylinders

    SON: consumers no longer to own cylinders

    •New gas policy for approval today

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has introduced a policy to guarantee safer use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It is also to monitor the ownership of cylinders to ensure standards.

    SON Director-General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, said in Lagos that the new policy, which comes into operation in June, would address other issues in the value chain, including the gas, valves and other accessories. He said it had become imperative for the regulator to ensure strict compliance with industry standards by players to promote safety.

    He said the gas explosion in Abuja called for immediate implementation of the policy, noting that some cylinders that had expired are still in use because most people do not bother to check them. Odumodu said: “With the new policy, individuals will not own cylinders. Marketers and dealers will own cylinders and each marketer, or dealer will have specific code. Individuals will take their cylinders, pay a token as deposit and get the new certified and quality one and when a consumer wants to change to another dealer, or marketer, the person would collect his deposit and move to where he likes.

    The importance of this, Odumodu explained, is to enable SON trace source of any problem whenever there is one, and to hold somebody responsible. The marketers licensed by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) will own cylinders and each marketer’s cylinder will have a different colour and code to enable traceability when there is an issue.

    He said: “The recent explosion in Abuja was caused by a filling tank. Apparently, the filling tank was located in a place where there was not enough care taken to ensure that fire and inflammable materials were kept away from the gas. That informed the need for us to begin the process of introducing a new policy for LPG use in Nigeria.

    “The new system that we just introduced will enable us to have a better control of LPG cylinder and not just about the cylinder but also in the whole value chain including the gas, valves and other accessories. It is a whole gamut of activities that we are reviewing in name of a new policy of use of LPG in Nigeria.

    He said the Council of SON would be considering a new standard for LPG today. The gas that goes into LPG is a mixture of propane and butane and one of them is highly flammable and Nigeria has been operating a 70:30 per cent butane, propane policy. But it appears also that some people outside of Nigeria are beginning to introduce some other kind of combination, which we have already discussed through a technical committee

    “The SON council will now consider the final report of the recommendations and hopefully on that day approve it. Once it is approved, we will go ahead and enforce a new standard. Last year there were issues around certain kinds of cooking gases in circulation in Nigeria, which necessitated a meeting of all the industry players including the NNPC, marketers, consumers, SON, DPR and others meant for the stakeholders to agree on a new standard taking into consideration what obtains in other parts of the world.”

    “In the new system, individuals will no longer own cylinders. The cylinders will be owned by marketers who already have been licensed by DPR. The cylinders will be differentiated in colours and will have different codes. The reason for this is that we need to hold somebody responsible any time there is a challenge. The marketers will have the responsibility for recertification or what we call technical requalification of cylinders. For instance, if a consumer has a cylinder that has expired, when he takes the cylinder for refilling, the marketer will take it through a process of requalification, if it fails, the marketer will withdraw the cylinder, and give the customer a new one. The customer has to make a token deposit,” he added.

  • Woman truck driver’s son wins Spelling Bee

    Woman truck driver’s son wins Spelling Bee

    As a 15-year-old lad, if you were asked to spell the word ‘Cookaleekie’ would you have succeeded?

    Obviously many would not; and this was the scenario at the grand finale of the Spelling Bee competition organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education Wednesday last week.

    Fifteen year-old Olabanji Edun, a pupil of Army Children Senior Secondary School, Onigbongbo, broke the jinx to emerge the 2014 ‘One Day Governor’.

    Miss Blessing Azeez of Keme Balogun Senior College, Ibeshe and Master Elijah Macaulay of Ojota Senior Secondary School, Kosofe emerged second and third respectively.

    Interestingly, Olabanji is the son of a truck driver mother with the Lagos State Waste Management, Mrs Blessing Edun, and a cabinet maker father, Mr Olasukanmi Edun.

    Ebun got a N250, 000 cheque; Blessing took away N150, 000 while Balogun went home with N100, 000 in addition to an all-expense-paid trip to Finland on exchange programme courtesy of the Lagos State government.

    Excitement gripped the Adeyemi Bero hall in Alausa, Ikeja, venue of the evfent, as the often palpitating students, one after the other, stood from their seats at one corner of the podium, walked up to the microphone and spelt a word that either saw them move further in the contest, or sent them packing.

    Some of the words that evicted other participants include: toupee, ottoman, pachyderm, Styx, tagliatelle, inchoate, lycee, asseveration, tessitura, blitzkrieg, plagiarise, lollapalooza, haemorrhoidectomy, nyctophobia, phylloquinone, millennial and bamboozle.

    Ahead of the four finalists that eventually bowed to Edun, the thorny words had earlier sent 52 participants that had prepared vigorously for the contest off the podium.

    Olabanji’s triumph, he told our reporter, was a result of a tutor he sought to drill him in spelling for 18 months ahead of the competition. His belief in divine intervention, he further explained, made him attend the contest fasting.

    He recalled that as the competition progressed, the words became a harder nut for him to crack, and he feared going home empty handed.

    “I had to relax and reconstruct the words again just like my coach taught me before I could get it right. Another thing is that, I had only 15 seconds to spell each word given, so I was scared” he said.

    Speaking to The Nation on phone, Mrs Edun described Olabanji as a hard worker at home and school. “He helps me with the house work when I come back and then goes on to read his book from 9pm to 11pm everyday. He sleeps and wakes up to read from 3am to 5am.”

    Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye noted that the competition which started in 2001, aims to inculcate healthy reading habits in children propel them to greater heights and encourage keen competition which has been the hallmark of the competition.

    “The overall goals of the competition are to help students improve their spelling skills, increase their vocabulary and develop correct English usage; creating good reading habits that will lead to better academic performance; and boosting the confidence of participants with a view to preparing them for future endeavours,” she said.

     

  • SON plans guidelines for LPG

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is planning to issue guidelines for the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to be used by consumers, it has been gathered.

    It was also gathered that the rules would give details of the properties of the LNG otherwise known as cooking gas to be used in the country.They are coming on the heels of the review by SON to ascertain the quality of LPG coming to Nigeria from Niger Republic.

    SON’s Deputy Director , Obiora Manafa said the development became necessary to prevent consumers from using LPG that are certified.

    He said a quantity of LPG consists of two properties namely; butane and propane, adding that there is the need to ensure that LPGs in use meets the Nigerian specification.

    He said: “A technical committee comprising stakeholders in the LPG value chain was set up recently. The committee in conjunction with the SON undertakes a review of the LPG components. We have arrived at standard LPG, and this is awaiting the approval of the Council of SON. We have deliberated on the issue, and the approval would be given soon. In fact, the director-general, SON, said the approval would be given anytime.

    “Once the standard is out, Nigerians would know whether the LPG standard from Niger Republic is complying with our own and from there take a position,” he said.

    The Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) produces 95 per cent of the LPG used in the country. Nigeria’s LPG specification is 95 per cent butane and five per cent propane.

    It was learnt that the reason is because high butane is meant for countries in the tropics such as Nigeria, However, the decision of Niger Republic to import LPG with the highest propane quality made the government, SON and other stakeholders to contemplate the review.

  • Why I’ll never forgive my son’s killers —Damilola Taylor’s father

    Why I’ll never forgive my son’s killers —Damilola Taylor’s father

    RICHARD Taylor (OBE), the father of 10-year-old Nigerian child, Damilola, whose murder in Britain some years ago generated global uproar, was cool and calm as he presented the best British-born Nigerian athlete, Christine Ohoruogu, to the Nigerian media in Lagos a few weeks ago. Ohuruogu was on a visit to Nigeria for the second time to support the Damilola Taylor Foundation established by Richard and his late wife, Gloria.

    Expressing his excitement in bringing Ohoruogu, a former Commonwealth and Olympic champion, to her fatherland, Richard said: “I did not choose her; she volunteered. She said our trust is the best. She has got so much to give back. When she told me five years ago that she wanted to come to Nigeria, I told her that I would bring her. And this is an opportunity for her to give back to her society.”

    Time, they say, heals all wounds. But that was yet to hold true with Richard when The Nation broached the issue of Damilola’s gruesome murder in a society believed to be much safer than ours. Damilola was allegedly killed by four unruly British youths on a council estate in Peckham, South London, in November 2000. In a shaky voice, Richard said the only choice he had was to fight on and keep the hope of his son alive through the foundation.

    Life has been nothing but hell since he lost his son and later his wife, but he says he has found succor in the foundation. He said: “It is very sad for me that my wife had to tragically pass away as well. She was a rock behind this family. And since she passed on, we have always remembered her. We cannot do anything without her. We keep her memory in our minds and in the children’s minds. Tunde (Damilola’s brother) is here.”

    Gloria had collapsed after suffering from high blood pressure triggered by Damilola’s death, saddling Richard with the arduous task of ensuring that Tunde is not weighed down by the loss of his mother and brother.

    “I have had to make sure that everything I do, Tunde goes along with it, so that he will know his mum is being remembered. We have not forgotten about the mum, and we thank God that what you are seeing, I would never have dreamt that it would happen in my life. I thank God for making it possible for us to be hosted by the British High Commission to launch a memorable project of this nature with so much interest from people who want to be involved in the project. And I hope this is going to be historical in memory of both my wife and son.

    “You must have read the story and the poem Damilola wrote about conquering the world. When we discovered that poem in his scrap book, it gave me the courage that I have to fight this fight. I have to do what he has left behind undone. That is why we have continued to make sure that before I die, I should be able to contribute to bringing the changes that he hoped to bring into the society as he put it in his poem. So, for the rest of my life, I am committed to this and I intend to carry on,” Richard stated.

    If the killers of Damilola had expressed extreme guilt for hurting the Taylors and tried to make amends by apologising, the elder Taylor says he could have found the courage to forgive them. But they showed no remorse whatsoever, prompting Richard to declare that their forgiveness is a matter for the Almighty.

    He said: “I can never forgive those that stabbed my son to death. I have always said it is only God that forgives. It is in the bible. They have never shown any remorse. How can you forgive when you have not confessed your sins? How can I say that I have forgiven them? There are other parents who have taken their own decision on forgiveness of those who killed their son or daughter. But for me it is something that you have to show remorse for first and say sorry for the devastation that you have created in the life of this family.

    “The young man or boy who stabbed Damilola has been going from prison to prison. Every time they release him, he commits another offence and goes back to prison. So, for the rest of his life, I think he is going to live in prison. Those are parts of the punishment he will have to serve for the death of an innocent boy.”

    Recalling the journey of the 10-year-old Nigerian boy to the United Kingdom about 14 years ago, with his mother and siblings for greener pastures, the father said he had remained in the country pursuing his career. He said: “I have my roots in Nigeria. When the incident happened, I had to rush down there to support. I was a successful civil servant. I retired in the Ministry of Defence as an Assistant Director. After spending four years outside the country, I retired voluntarily.”

    Richard Taylor was, however, of the opinion that setting up a foundation in memory of his son must alienate crime and keep the environment conducive for the future leaders. He said: “The objective is to support young people to develop their potential. The government cannot do things alone in this part of the world. Even in the UK and America, there are NGOs and charity organisations that support government initiatives. Those who have shown the desire to be supported education wise, developing their talents and potentials, we need to create a safe environment for them.

    “They have to live without the fear of being attacked on the streets. Those are the kinds of awareness we have in the UK. For instance, I go to No.10 Downing Street (UK Prime Minister’s official residence) at will. Here, I cannot enter Aso Rock (Nigerian president’s official residence). Even to meet with the chairman of a local government is a big task in this country. I can enter Buckingham Palace at any time on the ground that I have an appointment.

    “In this country, we need to start doing things in a way that we can work with ourselves to get solutions. We are going to all the states, excluding the North East where there is a problem. Our project is to tackle child trafficking, child abuse and human trafficking abroad from here in Nigeria. This is a N500 million project that we are asking for donations for within Nigeria.

    “We have spoken to the Governor of Lagos State to allocate land to us in Lekki so that we can build this centre and commence the project of fighting against or tackling the issue of child trafficking and child abuse, which is something that is creating too much problem in the UK, Italy and other parts of the western world. It makes me sad when I see or hear stories about Nigerian children, women or girls going into prostitution in the UK, Italy or Japan.”

    According to Wikipedia, in 2002, four youths, including two 16-year-old brothers, went on trial at the Old Bailey over the murder of Damilola. The trial led to all four suspects being acquitted. Two were acquitted on the ruling of the judge after he said that the prosecution’s key witness, a 14-year-old girl, was unreliable. The jury found the other two not guilty. As well as questioning the reliability of the young witness, the defence presented evidence suggesting that Taylor’s wounds were consistent with his falling on a broken bottle and that he had not been the victim of an attack.

    Despite the setback, police vowed to keep the investigation open. New DNA techniques led to a re-examination of the evidence obtained at the time of Taylor’s death. In 2005, fresh arrests were made, this time on charges of manslaughter. Those arrested were Hassan Jihad, 19, and two brothers aged 16 and 17, who could not be named due to their age. There was another suspect called Kevin Wilkins.

    On January 23, 2006, Jihad (now 21 years old) and the two brothers (aged 17 and 18), not named for legal reasons, appeared at the Old Bailey to face charges of his manslaughter and assault before the start of their imminent trial. The trial commenced on January 24, 2006. In the trial Alastair Wilson, associate clinical director at the Royal London Hospital and one of Britain’s top trauma experts, testified that he thought that Taylor had died after falling on a shard of glass.

    On March 29, the jury retired to consider its verdict. On April 3, Jihad was cleared by the jury of all charges in relation to Damilola’s death. The jury could not reach a verdict on the charges of manslaughter against the two brothers, so they were set free, but with the possibility of a retrial on those charges. On April 6, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that the two would be re-tried. The retrial of the two brothers began on June 23. The two brothers, then over 18, were named as Danny and Rickie Preddie, of Peckham, South London. Both defendants were very well known to police, being involved in multiple robberies.

    On August 9, 2006, Ricky Gavin Preddie (born 1987, Lambeth, London) and Danny Charles Preddie (born 1988, Lambeth), after a 33-day retrial, were convicted of the manslaughter of Damilola Taylor. During the retrial, it was noted that while the police did follow procedure collecting evidence, lapses occurred in the prosecution. On October 9, 2006, an Old Bailey judge sentenced the Preddie brothers to eight years in youth custody for manslaughter.

    Although it was widely reported in the media that Taylor’s parents were unhappy that the sentences had not been longer, the judge, Mr Justice Goldring, went to some length to explain the factors he was forced to take into account. These included the age of the offenders at the time (12 and 13), and that there was no evidence to suggest that there had been a plan to kill Taylor. In addition, the weapon used had not been carried to the scene of the crime, but was found lying on the ground.

    Both brothers were set to be paroled in 2010 after serving half of their sentence. Ricky was released on 8 September 2010, subject to probation supervision, and subject to recall to custody if he breached the conditions or if his behaviour indicated that it was no longer safe to allow him to remain in the community. Danny was released in 2011. Ricky was recalled on March 13, 2011 because he was seen in Peckham and associating with gang members, both contrary to his parole conditions. He was released again on January 25, 2012. However, he was recalled to jail in February 2012 after a stolen motorbike was discovered at his bail hostel, thus breaching the terms of release.

  • ‘Cement price may rise’

    A coalition of civil society and professional bodies, said some stakeholders were hoarding the product to cause scarcity and ultimately, push up its price.

    The coalition spokesperson, Mr. Tunde Ojo, said at the weekend, that the step was aimed at blackmailing the Federal Government and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), into slowing down on their resolve to standardise the product.

    He said: “It is very unfortunate that this is happening in this part of the world. The activities of these unpatriotic groups have resulted in the hike of price of the product in various parts of the country and if not quickly cautioned or checked, this will lead to an abnormal price increase for cement.”

    Ojo said the Federal Government had to move fast and checkmate those elements that do not care about the ordinary Nigerians but their profits.

    “The fact that a large chunk of their profits are siphoned abroad is a serious act of economic sabotage,” he added.

    The price disruptive action of these undesirable elements is even creating more problems because the timing of their activities, is coinciding with the peak of the construction season, considering the fact that the rains will come in full force in two months from now,” he said.

  • NEPC, SON task exporters on standard

    NEPC, SON task exporters on standard

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) have impressed on prospective exporters and manufacturers, the need to adhere to standards.

    This, the two bodies stressed, is in line with global best practices.

    They gave this charge at a public forum tagged: ‘Export Business Roundtable’ in Lagos recently.

    Firing the first salvo, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, Executive Secretary/Chief Executive, NEPC, who delivered the keynote address on the occasion, while justifying the need for the interface and discussion session, said: “The Export Business Roundtable is part of our efforts to identify reputable companies, who in spite of the challenges they encounter in exporting their products, continue to make a mark in international markets.”

    Awolowo, who was represented by Mr. Henry Otowo, Director, Product Development Department, NEPC, further maintained that the roundtable “Is also part of our strategy of reiterating the need to diversify our dependence on oil to non-oil in line with Mr. President’s transformation agenda.

    “Interestingly, the roundtable has become necessary as a result of the huge export potentials of Nigeria manufacturing products as revealed by the recent NEPC sponsored exhibitions held in Lome, Togo, Accra, Ghana and Niamey, Niger.

    Reputable companies that had won the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) certification mark with a view to ensuring that they participate in the export business to maximise their potentials.

  • ‘SON not weak regulator’

    ‘SON not weak regulator’

    Block Moulders Association of Nigeria (BMAN) has passed a vote of confidence on the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) over its regulation of the cement sector.

    Reacting to claims by a coalition of civil society groups and professional bodies in the building and construction industry that cement manufacturers may have taken advantage of its weak regulation to produce and import poor quality cement into the country, the association insisted that SON is not a weak regulator.

    At a briefing in Lagos, over the weekend, National Chairman of the group, Mr. Rasheed Adebowale, said SON is not weak in the regulation of the cement sector “because we are part and parcel of the construction sector and major end users of the product.” He said the association is not comfortable with what he described as the ‘faceless Civil Liberties Organisation’s claims about the development, especially allegations levelled against the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga and the management of SON.

    “We want to put it on record that we have never had it so good until the emergence of Dr. Joseph Odumodu at the helmship of SON. The current leadership of SON is working closely and collaboratively with us to ensure quality and standard of products,” he explained.

  • We don’t produce 32.5 grade cement, says Dangote CEO

    We don’t produce 32.5 grade cement, says Dangote CEO

    Dangote Cement Plc has said it manufactures only 42.5 grade cement in all its three plants, which are located in Obajana, Kogi State; Ibese, Ogun State; and Gboko, Benue State.

    It said it is not a party to the firms accused of shortchanging Nigerians by civil society group and professionals.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr DVG Edwin, spoke at a briefing at the weekend in Lagos.

    He said: “In all our three plants, we produce 42.5 grade cement. We believe that Nigerians deserve the best and we remain steadfast in meeting the needs of Nigerians for quality, cost effective cement. We want to align with the civil society group that there is need for standards in cement manufacturing; we need to comply to set standard so that Nigerians can get the best.”

    Edwin said Dangote Cement’s adherence to global best practices informed the production of 42.5 grade cement in all its factories, adding that it is stronger and has better qualities.

    According to him, the cement grade possesses higher strength capability and its rapid setting quality makes it the preferred grade among block makers, builders and construction workers, and add that with quick setting, blocks come out stronger and reduces the number of breakages.

    He said as part of efforts to drive quality, the firm has in the past two years, been training blockmakers on how to mould quality blocks using the 42.5 grade Dangote Cement.

    He said seminars and demonstrations with block makers is a continuous exercise, which has become a vital part of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiative aimed at preventing building collapse.

    Explaining why Dangote Cement is emphasising the production of 42.5 grade cement, Edwin said prior to the country’s attainment of self-sufficiency in cement production, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) had specified the 42.5 grade as the acceptable grade for importers of cement.

    He said: “Dangote Cement, as a responsible market leader, has continued to produce 42.5 grade in its three plants in strict adherence to the stipulations of SON.”

    He wondered why SON should insist on 42.5 grade as the standard for import and allow a lower grade for local production.

    He asked: “How come that during the import era, we were all compelled by the regulatory authorities to bring in 42.5 grades and now since 2012 when import was banned, the same regulatory authorities condone the production of 32.5 grades?”

    He noted that 92 per cent of Portland cement produced in the United States are in 52.5 and 42.5 grades, while other imported cement from China, Japan, Denmark and Paris are all 42.5 grade. He said: “Over 90 per cent of consumers are not aware of the different types of cement available in Nigeria. Their expectations in respect to the performance of cement are the same regardless of the type. The grade (quality) of concrete to be used may allow 32.5 grade cement for certain construction work such as pavements, rendering (plastering) and culverts but would demand 42.5 grade cement for structures, columns, bridges and multi storey buildings.”

    Reacting to claims by some cement manufacturers that the cause of building collapse is not cement quality, but poor use of materials, especially 32.5 grade, he advocated that the best way to ensure safety in the construction industry is to insist on 42.5 as the grade to be produced and used in Nigeria.

    He said despite training builders on how to use 32.5 grade of cement, some of them still cut corners.

    “Incidence of building collapse will be greatly reduced if we adhere to a common quality specification, leaving no opportunity for manipulations,” he added.

    On claims by some cement manufacturers that switching over to 42.5 grade would erode their profit margins, Ekanem said producing the grade though would lead to a marginal cost increase, it should be seen as a patriotic gesture to stem the tide of building collapse.

     

    “We place a high premium on human lives and not cost. Nothing on earth can be substituted for human lives. Those arguing that migrating from 32.5 to 42.5 will erode their profit margin are insincere and selfish as human lives are more important than profit taking,” he said.

    The sales/marketing director of Dangote Cement also said that in the last five years, the price of cement from Dangote has remained constant despite the high inflationary rate, high cost of fuel, and infrastructure deficit, and other operational challenges. “Even though, we have consistently been producing 4.2 grade cement the price is the same for 32.5 grade,” he pointed out, noting that the company invested so much in logistics hence, the company’s cost of moving cement products is the lowest in the industry.

    A coalition of civil society groups and professional bodies in the construction industry are set to launch a major campaign for the standardisation of the manufacturing and importation of the product. The coalitions, according to media reports, have called on the relevant authorities to initiate actions to make 42.5 grade of cement the standard product in Nigeria.

    The stakeholders’ argument is that nearly all the cement manufacturers and importers in the country are in the habit of taking advantage of the lax regulation and lack of enforcement to vary their pigmentation in favour of the lower grade cement (32.5) which in most cases is used in building and seen to be partly responsible for the collapse of houses. They believe that the practice, which is quite prevalent, is usually overlooked by SON.

     

     

  • Coalition to launch campaign for standardisation of cement

    Coalition to launch campaign for standardisation of cement

    A BIG battle – standar-disation of cement production and importation – is on the way in the construction industry.

    Leading the battle are major civil society groups and professionals, who will be pushing for 42.5 grade of cement as the standard product in Nigeria.

    The main aim, The Nation learnt yesterday, is to tackle building collapse – a phenomenon that has killed thousands.

    The lower grade cement (32.5) is common in Nigeria – no thanks to weak regulation. The popular thinking is that the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) seems not to be doing enough.

    The battle plan includes:

    •pushing for the National Assembly to probe manufacturers and importers for compromising standards;

    •enlisting the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to give SON a wake-up call;

    •enforcing the National Building Code; and

    •enlisting the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) in fighting sub-standard cement.

    The coalition of civil society groups is to confront the Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CMAN) for what it called the poor standard of local and imported cement.

    To the activists, standard should not give way in the face of monetary gains – to the detriment of lives.

    According to them, in the advanced countries, the lower grade cement (32.5) is being dumped for the higher level (42.5) “and even 52.5”.

    “With a uniform standard set by government, manufacturers and importers can be held accountable whenever there is infraction or reduction in agreed specification,” they said.

    The coalition’s spokesperson, Mr. Tunde Ojo, blamed the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, for what he described as complicity with manufacturers and vowed to mobilise block makers nationwide against manufacturers and importers of poor quality cement. He did not, however, name them.

    In a working document titled: Cement: Standardisation, safety versus affordability and poor quality, the coalition writes:

    “How do you identify good quality cement; is it by the manufacturer’s name or by its composition or pigmentation, if you like? Many a people, whether literate or not, identify cement merely by producer’s name. So, it is common to see most people, builders and non-builders alike, identifying with Eagle Cement, for instance or Elephant Cement or Dangote Cement, Rock Cement, UNICEM, BUA and so on, just to mention but a few. It matters very little to most buyers or customers what the composition or the contents or pigmentation of the cement bag is. For many, what influences what brand of cement to buy is the price and, in most cases, the proximity to the point of usage.

    “What that means is that, in a cement market where you have displayed products from Lafarge, Dangote, UNICEM, Ibeto and Northern Cement Company of Nigeria, BUA, Ashaka, for instance, buying anyone as experience has shown, would essentially be a function of price and proximity. Not many, without stretching the argument too far, would be concerned, or are even conscious about quality. To them, they are all cement, the difference perhaps, is that between six and half-a-dozen. But it is beyond that.

    “Maintaining standards for all products’ range, there are standards. Cement may not be a drug, but it has fatalistic effects as it happens in bridges and buildings collapse when low quality specimens are used. And this has been a recurring decimal in Nigeria. The unfortunate thing is, those who are charged with the responsibility of investigating these recurring mishaps have never looked the way of the quality of cement used in some of these structures; rather, only the contractors bear the brunt. It is important that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), if they are the ones in charge, should take a closer look at the quality of cement churned out by local manufacturers and also the imported ones as well.”

    He went on: “Types of Cement; broadly speaking there are two, or may be three types of cement common in Nigeria. There’s the CEM 1 42.5 R and CEM 1 42.5 N on the one hand; and CEM 32.5 R, on the other hand. Besides, there are variants of these with different specifications. The CEM I 42.5 R and CEM I 42.5 N cements are produced with clinker and limestone in the ration of 95%: 5% respectively. The gypsum that is added during the grounding process is for adjustment of the setting period, which is usually obtained at the end of 28 days.

    “Among other applications, this cement is used when good strength concrete is required, especially in concrete productions requiring high strength, or early strength. Also, it is used in production of thin section reinforced concrete and in highly reinforced concrete buildings, among other uses. CEM II 32.5 is suitable for flooring and wall plastering (rendering).”