The Chairman of the Cement Producers’ Association of Nigeria (CEPAN), Prince David Iweta, has pledged full support to the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce prices within the timeframe of 30 days.
Expressing concern over the current imbalance between demand and supply, Prince David Iweta highlighted the association’s proactive stance in foreseeing the prevailing situation. He emphasized that the association had earlier cautioned the government about the repercussions of entrusting the responsibility of catering to the cement needs of over 200 million Nigerians to a select group with vested interests.
“It is evident that the demand for cement has surpassed the available supply, leading to the surge in prices. Our association foresaw this scenario and repeatedly alerted the Federal Government about the impending crisis,” stated Prince David Iweta.
He further stated, “Even when cement prices were relatively lower, we warned that without decisive action, prices could skyrocket to as high as N9,000 from the then N3,000 mark. Our intention was to prompt the government to take preemptive measures to avert the current predicament.”
Prince David Iweta underscored the urgent need for collaborative efforts between the association and the government to rectify the situation promptly. He assured that CEPAN is fully committed to implementing measures that would facilitate reduction in cement prices within the stipulated time frame.
