Dangote moves against building collapse, trains bricklayers, block makers

Apparently disturbed by incessant building collapse, coupled with the mission to ensure that the buyers and users of cement get value for money, Dangote Cement Nigeria plc has moved to curb building collapse incidents in the country through training on block moulding and concrete mixing for bricklayers, block makers and artisans in the building industry.

The company organised a training session for bricklayers, block makers and artisans drawn from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, with emphasis on the “need for articulated blend in block making and concrete mixing in accordance with the standards specified by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)”.

Speaking shortly after the training session in Abeokuta, Johnson Olaniyi, Dangote Cement specialist in charge of artisans and block moulders in Nigeria and Ghana, attributed incidence of building collapse in Nigeria to the use of low-quality building materials and unprofessional mixing of cement with sand, gravel, granite and other building materials.

Olaniyi said that the equipment of artisans, block moulders and bricklayers with the required know-how and expertise needed in moulding and concrete production was in order to prevent incessant building collapse in the country, saying the workshop was able to change the way and method adoptable in concrete mixing and block moulding by players in the building industry.

“I derive a lot of joy that they (participants) accepted the fact that the way they were trained today is far different from the way they had been doing the job. That is why the entire participants followed me from theoretical class to the practical site,” he said.

“When they saw the way I did it, they realised that they could improve on the way they have been doing the job. They accepted the fact that Dangote cement is of higher quality and they have also seen reasons why they should not leave the job for the boys alone at the site; they should also participate in block moulding,” he added.

 RAZAQ AYINLA