NIQS tasks FG to engage cement manufacturers to extend discounts to non-government projects

The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has called on the Federal Government to engage cement manufacturers on the need to extend the discounts on cement prices to non-government high impact projects.

NIQS, President, Abba Tor, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja as the nstitute officially relocated to its new purpose-built head office in the Federal Capital Territory, stated that cement manufacturers gave discounts to government for the construction of the ongoing 300,000 mass housing units, stressing that such gesture should be extended to other vital construction projects.

Tor said, “The gesture extended to the association of cement manufacturers in Nigeria to supply cement at discounted rates to the special housing programme should also be extended to other high impact projects across the country.

“Cement has multiplier effects on other components of building, construction and assemblage. So we want the government to engage those manufacturers further with a view to extending the discounts to other areas.

“Just like the government engaged manufacturers in the construction of the 300,000 mass housing projects, it should further engage the cement producers so that citizens generally will enjoy the leverage of discounts.”

Commenting on concerns about building collapse in Nigeria, the NIQS president announced that eight professional bodies in built environment were meeting at the institute’s head office on the issue.

Tor pointed out that it was important for citizens to engage professionals when constructing buildings as this would help in curtailing infrastructure collapse.

According to him, the issue about building collapse calls for a united front from all professional bodies; hence the level of corporation and understanding that now exists among them.

“Building collapse is an issue that should be managed in such a way that clients have to engage the services of qualified professionals.

“In all of the incidences of building across the country, it is hard for you to pinpoint any qualified engineer, architect or quantity surveyor involved in such,” he added.

NIQS, President, explained that where any professional was involved, the qualified bodies in the sector had templates and frameworks for sanctions.