Cement Price Increase: Topaz Garden Boss Slams Dangote

Following the astronomic increase in the price of cement from N2,600 to the current price of N4,500, stakeholders have been lamenting the situation as the effect on the construction companies starts to metamorphose.

Speaking with our correspondent, Murphy Adebare, Chief Executive Officer of Topaz Garden, said Dangote is an enemy of the nation, to have increase the price of cement from 2600 or 2700 to 4500 in just the space of two months lamenting the sudden relegation of other cement company like Portland cement.

“These are the things we are talking about, you monopolised all the cement licenses and factories in Nigeria to a single man and the entire nation keeps looking. It once happened in America where Rockefeller owned all the monopoly to all treasures of the nation and many times, the government had to break it down so that there could be competition. At a point, Rockefeller was even stronger than the nation. The same thing is happening in Nigeria right now that Dangote company is getting stronger than the Nation. It’s sad to the extent that Dangote company practically controls the Nigerian economy and dictates what goes on in terms of pricing, checking the sugar price and that of cement, ” he said.

He stated further that, ” how can a man if he’s not a devil, in these hard times, find it convenient to increase the price of cement from 2700 to 4500 naira while other neighbouring countries are still selling it for not up to 1500 equivalent to Naira. This is against humanity, Dangote is the enemy of the nation and let me tell you something, he is even frustrating other companies that wanted to challenge his arbitrary pricing in courts.

“There is an urgent need to address the unprovoked increase in the price of cement, Nigerians need to ask questions and engage Dangote because the nation cannot continue in this captivity and bondage.”

He urges the government to find alternatives for the citizens.

“What needs to be done right now is to find viable alternatives, we should not deceive ourselves, if Dangote is not evil, in this pandemic recession and hard times there should not be any increase to the price of cement.

“What happened to Portland cement, we give Nigeria government 48 hours to open our borders for other people that want to bring in cement to reduce the astronomical price Dangote has put on the commodity.

“We cannot say we want to promote local production and the price will not be bearable. Across the country, construction works have been on the decrease. Who wants to buy cement at 4500, how much will the house cost eventually, how would the commoner get a roof over their head? Something drastic needs to be done to the cement situation.”

Expressing his concerns further, he noted that the current price of cement will deprive even the common man the opportunity to have shelter which is a common need of survival.

“How can a common man have a home when the cement is 4500. As I’m telling you now, please I’m begging Nigerian government to make room for other companies to import cement, I think we should go for importation, as simple as that. Somebody that is importing cement into the nation can sell the cement for 1500 even after paying all the duties.

“My dear brothers, I’m begging Nigerians, we should all stand up and confront this situation, we should wake up from our sleep, Nigeria is too cold that’s why people like these can put us into bondage and captivity, Nigeria youths are too cold.

“Dangote should in the next 48 hours reverse that price if not Nigerians will go back and protest and engage. If Dangote does not reverse the price to 2500 or 2600, Nigerian youths will protest the injustice in the sales of cement in the country.”

He urged Nigerians to stand up for their rights and lead protests to close down cement factories until the price of cement is reduced. He also urged the Federal Government to allow for importation of cement to crash the current high price.

“We can close all the cement factories in Nigeria to send a signal to Nigerian government about the suffering of the people. We just finished the pandemic and recession and you increase the price of cement to 4500.

“I am tired of this APC government. My problem is that the Nigerian government is not even looking into what affects the people, that’s where the problem lies, how can the Nigerian government not look into these to see the problem of a nation. How can a man sit down in his office, wake up in the morning and say this is how I want the cement to be and this same person is enjoying government’s patronage. Something needs to be done because this cement price cannot hold the nation together.”

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