(3 minutes read)
· President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Mohammed Abba Tor, said that the rising cost of cement in the country was affecting housing development
· He told the manufacturers to consider a reduction in the price of cement beyond the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) scheme to the benefit of the entire citizenry and to kick start the construction activities
· The Institute was trying to reduce the negative effects of Covid-19 by embracing emerging technologies and online platforms
President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Mohammed Abba Tor, said that the rising cost of cement in the country was affecting housing development. He urged the Federal government to engage the Association of Cement Manufacturers to address the situation and to increase the production. He told the manufacturers to consider a reduction in the price of cement beyond the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) scheme to the benefit of the entire citizenry and to kick start the construction activities.
Tor said that cement has a multiplier effect on other components of building construction, and the rising cost if not addressed, would affect efforts being made to provide affordable houses for the lower strata of the society. He also called on the government to look at the inflationary effect on cost of building materials and provide concessions to local manufacturers of building materials to provide employment for the youths and bring down the cost of building materials in the country.
Mentioning that the exchange rate was impacting negatively on the cost of engineering projects, Tor said that the Government should engage the cement manufacturers with a view to extending the discount to other areas. There should be some deliberate efforts by the government to encourage the manufacturing of building materials in the country. He said that the Institute was trying to reduce the negative effects of Covid-19 by embracing emerging technologies and online platforms.
