Connect with us

Business

Concrete Roads: Cement Price To Hit N9,000, Say Manufacturers

Published

on

The Cement Producers Association of Nigeria has warned that the ongoing plan of the federal government to introduce concrete roads will raise the price of cement to N9, 000 per bag from the current price of N5, 000.

It also called on the current administration to permanently address the perennial cement price hike problem by facilitating larger participation in the cement industry, noting that Nigerians have no business buying cement for more than N5, 600 per bag.

The association, in a statement jointly signed by the National Chairman, Prince David Iweta and National Secretary Chief Reagan Ufomba, on Sunday, commended the works Minister’s position on cement-made roads but warned of dire consequences, if the supply end is not addressed properly.

As a solution, the cement producers urged the government to lay more emphasis on road design that allows both cement technology and asphalt pavement to run concurrently and provide ample time for a smooth transition that allows contractors to invest in commensurate and requisite equipment and retooling.

READ ALSO: Relief As Cement Price Set To Crash From N5,500 To N3,500

The statement read, “Our findings from various parts of the country show that cement sells for as high as N6000 per bag in the rainy season. Our prediction is that it will sell for over N9,000 per bag in the dry season, especially with the pronouncement of the Honourable Minister of Works on cement technology and the marching order on housing by Mr President if the government does not take proactive steps.

“While we commend the Honourable Minister’s position on cement-made roads, we warn of the dire consequences if the supply end is not properly addressed. In fact, it would amount to dereliction of duty not to intervene. And the time is now. To do otherwise is to continue in a worsening pipe dream that prices would suddenly drop on this essential input that will continue to drain the purse of Nigerians, render them homeless, encourage chaos between demand and supply, and worsen the infrastructure deficit it sets out to cure, and lead to an unprecedented price hike.

“We also call on the Honourable Minister of Works to lay more emphasis on the design criteria of roads that allow both cement technology and Asphalt pavement to run concurrently, in turn, will provide ample time for a smooth transition that allows contractors to invest in commensurate and requisite equipment and retooling. We must also as a nation regulate static and dynamic load traffic by introducing weighbridges at access points on our highways. Working in sync with contractors, and allied Ministries of Trade and Investment, Transport, Environment and Finance on realistic policy on cement is most desirable at this critical time.”

The association further requested the government to conclude the backward integration policy of the late Yar’adua administration that was already bringing availability and affordability of cement in the country.

READ ALSO: [REVEALED] PACKAGING: Ladies’ Gowns Now Come Padded For Butt, Hip Enhancements

It added, “There has been so much comment on cement and cement pricing of late. What our nation needs is cement that is available and affordable. And this cannot be achieved by mere wishes, faulty policies and programmes, without breaking the chain of monopoly and favouritisms. Nigerians are tired of waiting for a downturn in the price of cement and for decent and affordable housing.

“We call on the Tinubu government to permanently solve this perennial cement price hike problem by expanding participation in the sector with companies who have verifiable evidence of local investment, including greenfield licenses and quarrying. As a matter of fact, we call on the government to more specifically conclude the backward integration policy of the late Yar’adua administration which was already bearing availability and affordability fruits.

“As patriots, it is our view that the government reintroduces backward integration policy and the conclusion of old ones. Consequently, the government cannot be seen to approbate and reprobate by deregulating issues of petroleum products and foreign exchange on one hand and regulating on pricing of cement, essential goods and services on another. There is a need for policy harmonisation and convergence between fiscal and monetary policies.

“Finally, we call on the government to urgently intervene in the foreign exchange market, intervene in restructuring bad loans of manufacturers, and review palliative modules. The cry for elusive FDI will be drastically reduced if all manufacturing concerns are revived. The government must be decisive in the kind of economic policies it intends to foist on the people,” the statement concluded.

PUNCH

Comments

Business

2024 Budget: What Average Nigerian Wants?

Published

on

By

By Richard Asoge

In line with one of his statutory obligations, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday, 30th November 2023, laid before the joint session of National Assembly the budget for year 2024, indicating his intention to spend N27.5 trillion, given priorities to defence & security, education and infrastructure. From the receipt side, N18.3 trillion is expected from oil, non-oil, tax and other revenue creating a deficit gap of N9.18 trillion which is to be financed by new borrowing and drawdown on multilateral and bilateral loans.

For a very long time, the gap between recurrent expenditure and capital expenditure was always far apart. Sometimes, allocation to the recurrent expenditure will double that of capital. This accounts for a serious and accumulated deficit of basic infrastructures over the years. So, having more in the side of capital expenditure will bring a relative relief if the budget is faithfully implemented without given excuse for non-performance.

FROM THE AUTHOR: Subsidy Removal: A Measure To Re-Jig The Economy [OPINION]

Reflecting on 2023 budget of 24.8 trillion (including supplementary), only 13.7trillion (55.2%) had been spent so far as at September ending, leaving only 3 months for the implementation to be over. The performance was not all that cheering. Various sources of borrowing had been implored and becoming uncertain to get more loans. This is unconnected to the attention given to taxes in 2024 budget as a prominent source of revenue. Agreed that tax is a good source of revenue anchored on production. Tax itself is derived from production. Given so much attention on tax rather than production first may not give desire result at long run. The desire of every serious economy is to keep inflation rate at single digit, unemployment at barest minimum, embarking on policies that would positively influence macroeconomic variables. Most of the advance economies of the world which we copy have robust production system which makes it easy for them to generate much revenue via taxation. Out there, sizeable number of people were engaged in one activity or the other that adds values to the GDP.

Current inflation rate of 27.3% is more of cost push than demand pull. Cost of operation to the businesses and surviving manufacturing firms had gone up exponentially, which made the outputs extremely expensive for a common man to afford. Cost of transportation of items or persons from one point to the other, cost of energy, cost of credit and others drive the inflation. Plans to moderate inflation rate to 21.4% as planned in 2024 budget is attainable, and even surpass it if structural factors that brought about the challenges are holistically tackled. Given domestic refineries and modular refineries the necessary support for production without further delay to meet local demand substantially will bring succor to the citizens and as well beneficial to the nation’s economy. Even if the price of petroleum motor spirit is not all that reduced significantly as being expected by some, whatever reduction will have, will be beneficial and as well add value to us as a nation. Employment generation along the chain of production and the bye products will be an advantage.

Waiting till the third quarter of the year before evaluating the performance of the budget to see if it is tilting toward desire result seems not the best approach but time to time check to deal with any challenge in early stage.

FROM THE AUTHOR: OPINION: The Alarming Naira Depreciation And Way Forward

Allocation of 8% (N2.18 trillion) to education may not up to the recommendation of UNESCO, but there is significant improvement compared to what obtained in the time past. N50 billion student loan is a good move to assist indigent ones but government should not see it as an opportunity to take its hands off subvention or reduce subvention to various institutions of learning. Otherwise, schools will load various charges under school fees to keep their heads above the sea level thereby defeating the principal purpose behind the establishment of such loan.

If data released by NBS is anything to go by, GDP was observed to move up to 2.54% (year on year) in real terms in the third quarter of 2023 from 2.25% in 2022. The growth was driven by service sector. Contribution from agriculture and industry sectors is less which is why agricultural outputs are becoming scarce in the market. Of course, any item short of supply to the demand, price will dictate who get such item. Making agriculture at the forefront of economic drivers toward achieving the 3.75% economic growth in 2024 will not only put an end to hunger but ensures food security. Security of lives and properties propels economic growth. When people can sleep with both eyes closed, economic growth is assured. So, allocation of N3.25trillion to defence and security, making it the sector that got most in the budget seems justified considering the period we are as a nation. However, all those that are concerned in the defence and security of the country must all strive to ensure total security on the land, on the sea and on the air.

An average man on the street is no longer interested in mathematics of budget or various statistics been churned out. He is after a bag of rice coming down to N30,000 from the current suicidal price of N60,000. An average housewife wants N5,000 in her purse to be enough for a pot of soup for a family of four for at least two days. Everyone is not just interested in the price of basic items to come down but stability in prices. In the past six months or thereabout, nothing harms the economy like price instability. Prices of goods and services were ticking upward every minute as if it were clock causing naira to lose its worth.

Richard Asoge
Clappahouse Analytics
chards001@gmail.com
08081492614

Continue Reading

Business

Fuel Subsidy Removal Cripples 90% Of Nigerian Businesses – Report

Published

on

By

The fuel subsidy removal policy of President Bola Tinubu’s government, which took off in June 2023, negatively affected 90 per cent of businesses in Nigeria.

This is according to a recent report by Fate Foundation, titled “State of Entrepreneurship,” which surveyed over 10,000 businesses across the 36 states of the country and the FCT.

According to the report, smaller businesses were affected more than big businesses, and the policy resulted in high operating costs and lower profits due to weak demand and the loss of customers.

READ ALSO: Why I Gave Davido My Song ‘Blow My Mind’ – Wurld

The report further stated: “Entrepreneurs in the South East were the most affected, while those in the South South were the least affected, relative to other regions. The impact of the policy was even for both male and female entrepreneurs.”

The report also revealed that around 89 per cent of businesses in the country were negatively affected by the naira scarcity experienced in the first quarter of 2023, with the agricultural sector being the most affected.

It further explained that the impact of the naira scarcity on farmers led to the contraction of the agricultural sector’s output by 0.9 per cent in the GDP report for Q1. The decline was the first in over three decades.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: I Was Paid N5m, I Must Perform At Celestial Church, Portable Insists

Regarding Nigerian entrepreneurs’ outlook towards business opportunities, around 86 per cent reported being optimistic about the future. However, the figure is less than the 93 per cent who affirmed their positive outlook in 2022.

According to the report, service sector businesses accounted for the country’s major share of businesses.

While 35 per cent of businesses offer services, 22 per cent sell goods, and another 42 per cent trade in both goods and services. At the sectoral level, 18.8 per cent of total businesses operate in the wholesale and retail trade sector,” the report stated.

Continue Reading

Business

Nigerian Correctional Service Begins Commercial Bread Production In Benin

Published

on

By

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Zone G, has commenced the production of bread in Benin, the Edo capital, for both its inmates and members of the public.

Speaking at the official handover of the zonal bakery project to First Global Hakitekt Bread Bakery Limited for effective management, the Minister of Interior, Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the project was laudable.

Tunji-Ojo, represented by Mrs Comfort Kabirwa, Director of Special Duties in the ministry, commended the buy-in of the project by the different controllers in the zone comprising Edo, Delta, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi.

He stressed the importance of Public Private Partnerships (PPP), noting that a recent decongestion of correctional centres was not government funded but through corporate social responsibility.

READ ALSO: Why I Gave Davido My Song ‘Blow My Mind’ – Wurld

“We have to think out of the box to achieve our mandate. The bakery is a laudable project because it will help build the skills of the inmates and give them a source of livelihood and make them employable after leaving the correctional centre,” he said.

He added that charging the name from prisons to correctional was intentional not just for rebranding but to change the way prisoners were treated.

Earlier, Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, said the Bakery Initiative was a collaborative effort between the NCoS and the First Global Hakitekt Bread Bakery Limited under a PPP arrangement.

Nababa said the project was also supported by the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.

READ ALSO: Alleged Treason: Absence Of Judge Stalls Sowore’s Case

It is a pilot initiative aimed at enhancing the performances of federal government projects. The First Global Hakitekt Bread Bakery Limited is expected to bring in expertise to allow for a win-win situation for both parties. “

Represented by the NCoS Zonal Controller, Zone G, Assistant Controller General, Friday Ovie, he said that initiative was in line with the mandate of the Service, which included inmates rehabilitation via skills acquisition.

Meanwhile, Managing Director, First Global Hakitekt Bread Bakery Limited, Mr Dare Eluyemi, said the project was not just to equip inmates with bakery skills but also to create jobs in the bakery value chain.

“The bakery project has the capacity to produce bread for more than 32,000 inmates on a daily basis.

“It will help to reduce government effort in meeting the food consumption of inmates in correctional centres and sold to thepublic for income generation.”

READ ALSO: UK Announces Stricter Visa Measures To Reduce Migration

On her part, Controller, NCoS, Edo, Philomena Emehinola, said the Bakery initiative was a plus to the state as it would put the state in the limelight.

“We will make the project sustainable to feed our inmates as well as build their skills in bakery.”

She added that the inmates who would undergo skill acquisition in the bakery project would be paid an incentive under the earning scheme but would be given the money at the end of their jail term.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the pilot project will run for two years, after which it will be replicated in other zones of the NCOS.

The high point of the event was the inspection of the bakery by the representative of the Minister of Interior and other government officials present.

Continue Reading

Trending