Lafarge, UniCem, Ashaka reiterate commitment to high product standards

Lafarge WAPCO, United Cement Company of Nigeria ( UniCem) and Ashaka Cement (AshakaCem), three major cement manufacturers in Nigeria, have reiterated their commitment to producing high quality cement that meets national, international and construction standards.

In a joint media briefing, the three cement makers took time to debunk the overstated argument by some groups that persistent building collapses in the country could be linked to the use of 32.5 grade of cement, adding that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and professionals in the built industry had made it clear that cement was just one out of numerous components or inputs used in the process and could not be the root cause of the menace.

Joe Hudson, managing director/CEO, Lafarge Cement WAPCO, stressed that some of the causes of the building collapse, as identified at a public discourse recently organised by the company, were use of unqualified workmen in construction, non-adherence to building codes, engagement of non- professionals, sharp practices by some contractors, natural disasters, and sabotage.

“We are the first cement actor in the country to rally support for addressing the root cause of building collapse, starting in 2010 with the first building collapse national discourse. The second edition was held in April 2014, with all key stakeholders in attendance and the contributions at these sessions, which are key to achieving zero building collapse objective, have been made public via a published communiqué,” he said.

He further stressed that just like in other parts of the world where it operated, Lafarge had the widest range of cement products in Nigeria, developed to respond more specifically to various needs of different customers and applications and meet the needs of low buildings and more sophisticated structures, noting that the company would continue to innovate to bring new solutions, build better cities and contribute to industrialisation of Nigeria.

He maintained that there was nowhere else in the world, where the 32.5 cement grade had either been restricted or banned, declaring “it is interesting to note that in South Africa, 32.5 cement grade is recommended for a wide spectrum of applications by another leading cement producer in Nigeria.”

In his remarks, Olivier Lenoir, managing director, UniCem, Calabar, stated that 90 percent of cement produced by his company for many years was of 32.5 grade, stressing that there had never been a collapse incident associated with his firm’s products, revealing that UniCem had also recently announced an expansion of its capacity, while urging that “regulators should not take arbitrary decisions based on inconclusive processes, but rather ensure that all stakeholders are properly engaged, as it creates doubts about the investment climate in the country.”

Leonard Palka, managing director, Ashaka Cement, said as manufacturers of cement brands that had served Nigeria for several years, “we had engaged the regulatory authorities severally since the misinformation on cement quality in Nigeria began to be peddled because of our desire to present the facts that would ensure that informed decisions are taken in the overall interest of Nigerians.”

He warned that limiting the use of 32.5 would “eliminate consumers choices, limit producers’ capacities and ultimately lead to increase in cement prices across the country,” maintaining that there should be a level playing field for all players in the cement industry to operate without any fear, and wondered why the North-Eastern part of Nigeria, where AshakaCem operated and produced majorly 32.5 cement, should be made to suffer untold socio-economic hardships as a result of ill-thought decisions, even when cases of collapsed building had never been recorded.

Lafarge, a leading manufacturer and marketer of cement, has 8.5 million metric tons production capacity in Nigeria, of which 4.5 million is in WAPCO’s three plants in Ogun State, 1 million in Ashaka – Gombe State; and 0.5 million in Atlas, Onne, Rivers State. It is also part owner of UniCem in Calabar.