BUA, Ibeto, Dangote back Reps’ position on 42.5 cement grade

Major cement manufacturers have pledged their commitment to align with the House of Representatives’ position that the 42.5mpa cement grade should be the minimum standard of quality that should be produced in the country, while all expired ones be withdrawn forthwith from the market.

Already, cement manufacturing companies such as Bua, Ibeto and Dangote said long before the quality review by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) which pegged the 42.5 grade for general purpose use, they have been producing the quality grade and nursed no intention to produce lower quality cement.

It would be recalled that Hon Dogara’s ad-hoc committee on cement composition and pigmentation had after a public hearing from stakeholders submitted its report to the House of Representatives, in which it asked SON to commence implementation of its cement standardisation and that manufacturers should retool their machineries for the production of the higher grade of cement.

Its recommendation, according to the report, was based on the fact that if offered the chance of choosing between 32.5 and 42.5 grades of cement, consumers would choose the 42.5 higher grade and that because those employed for building structures are mostly non-professionals it would be in the national interest to adopt a cement grade that is less susceptible to wrong application.