NLC cautions against hasty implementation of new cement policy

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has cautioned against a hasty implementation of the new policy on cement manufacturing in which the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is proposing quality upgrade from 32.5 type cement mostly in use in Nigeria to 42.5 type.

SON is hinging the proposal on building collapse which it argues is caused by the use of the 32.5 cement.

Since the proposal, there have been agitations by local cement manufacturing companies which fear that SON’s insistence to graduate to the 42.5 type will throw up employment crisis in the economy as majority of the workers in the cement manufacturing sub-sector will be laid off in the course of transition to the proposed new policy. The cement manufacturers have argued that building collapse in Nigeria was due to improper mixing of cement and lack of supervision by appropriate authorities and not the quality of cement in use.

Backing this position, Abdulwaheed Omar, NLC president, in a statement said, “Ongoing campaign against cement manufacturers in Nigeria is extremely dangerous to an economy that is already sliding in the negative and congress wishes to caution that government should not concede to any policy adjustment that will almost instantly impose severe burdens on the Nigerian society.

“We see this as a ruse and a violation of all principles and logic of standardisation in relation with public interest. Government exists in the interest of the public; and it would be wrong for any agency of government to be promoting policies that are obviously destructive to the economy and particularly harmful to the government’s determination to create jobs while sustaining existing jobs.
“The cement industry in Nigeria is a major employer of labour and policies directed at the industry must consider the collective interest of Nigerians and particularly the socio-economic implications in terms of benefits to the economy and citizens of the country.”