By Kingsley Adegboye

Disturbed by incessant building collapse across the country which observers attribute to poor application of cement, stakeholders in the nation’s building/construction industry gathered at a meeting of the Technical Committee on Cement of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, to review standard for cement (NIS 444 – 1: 2014), with a view to upgrading standard of all cement grades in Nigeria.

*Mrs Chinyere Ifeoma, 2nd left, with stakeholders during cement standard review meeting in Lagos.

Stakeholders and experts who were in attendance at the one-day forum that took place in Lagos, included members of the Academia and Research institutes, cement manufacturers, users, government establishments and the Consumer Protection Council.

Welcoming the participants to the forum, the Director-General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Osita Aboloma represented by a director in the agency, Mrs. Chinyere Ifeoma, said cement standard is no doubt a very important one, as about 80 per cent or more of the buildings and other infrastructural development of any nation is carried out with the use of cement.

Aboloma said: “Cement is a binder for all the components of the building and its poor application in construction has been blamed for failures and collapse in the building and construction industry. The exercise you are to embark on today is the review of the current standard for cement (NIS 444-1: 2014). It is imperative to note that standards can be reviewed after five years or at any time at the instance of the stakeholders or if found inadequate due to changes in technology, test methods and government policy.

“Your attendance of this important meeting is a demonstration of our partnership and collaboration especially in the area of standards development which provides basis for product quality monitoring and trade facilitation. Standard is a consensus document that promotes trade and ensures a positive impact on the national economy if strictly adhered to. Standards development is the stakeholders’ responsibility for which the SON provides the secretariat,” Aboloma stated.

Prof. Joseph Digwe, who was elected chairman, Technical Committee Meeting at the event, said the stakeholders’ meeting was to upgrade cement standard for all grades, adding that the review is imperative because of structural failures being recorded in the nation’s construction industry where cement is a key factor.

Describing cement as a critical factor in the construction industry, the first vice-president of the Nigerian Institute of Building, NIOB, Kunle Awobodu, said the stakeholders’ meeting was to ensure standard for quality cement in the country, adding that cement determines the strength of block and the over all stability of structures.

Awobodu who called on cement manufacturers to reduce the price of the product for users to be able to afford, said the current high cost of cement is responsible for low quality blocks, as block moulders reduce the ratio of cement quantity to material mix for production of blocks. He said if the price of cement is reduced, block makers will be able to produce standard blocks applying required cement ratio in material mix.

Also speaking, the president of Cement Moulders Association of Nigeria, Rasheed Adebowale, who disclosed that a meeting like this was held in 2014, said it is important to review standard of cement grades in Nigeria, as mix of cement with all materials determines the strength of blocks and stability of structures.

Adebowale who said prices of cement is responsible for quality of blocks being produced by some block makers who are not members of his association, pointed out that if prices of cement are reduced, block makers will no longer resort to cutting corners thereby producing poor quality blocks which are partly responsible for building collapse in the country.