The Chairman, Joint Committee of the House Committees on Solid Minerals, Commerce, Industry and Special Duties, Jonathan Gaza Gefwi, on Tuesday summoned cement manufacturers Dangote, BUA, Ibeto and others to appear before the committee on Monday, May 20, 2024.
Gefwi, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Solid Minerals, also ordered the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, to appear before the committee on Tuesday, May 21.
This followed the failure of the minister, the companies and others to appear at its committee’s investigative hearing on Tuesday, May 7.
The Chairman said the companies’ shunning the invitation was a pointer to their insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.
The Joint Committee Chairman emphasized the importance of the public hearing and the need to de-emphasize the notion created by some companies relevant to the investigation that committees of parliament had no powers to invite private outfits.
Gefwi noted that a review of cement prices in other countries like Kenya, India and Zambia for 2021 alone showed that Nigeria had the highest price of cement using the official exchange rates for each country.
“Our concern is for all legitimate businesses especially cement production companies in Nigeria to thrive and deliver their objective and services to the people in such a manner that can foster development,” Gefwi said.
“Nigeria’s price of cement doubles that of India at a difference of 69%; similarity the price is 29% higher than that in Kenya and 39% higher in Zambia. Hence the need for us to come together and find out why in order to bring succour to our citizens while protecting investors alike.
“It is on record that there is no Order of the Courts presented restraining the committee from exercising its functions under section 88(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“The committees of parliament have always set-up public hearings to extract evidence from the public to guide it in taking decisions on matters that have direct bearing on the citizens such as this.
“However, an entity recognised as private under the Law, does not oust in entirety the Powers of the Committee to investigate its affairs especially when the attainment of the objectives of said entity heavily relies on the Resources of the populace.
“Let me also reiterate the objectives of the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act sections 4,5,6 and 7 on the Powers of committees to invite, investigate and summon any person for the purpose of extracting evidence on any matter, whether its public or private. Most especially when the matter affects the citizens and the people for which they represent,” he said.
Contributing, the Chairman, House Committee on Commerce, Ahmed Munir, said that failure of any entity invited by the Committee to appear before the Joint Committee would give credence to the allegations that the rise in the price of cement was an act of arbitration to unnecessarily subject Nigerians to hardship and undermine government’s efforts to close the housing deficit in the country.
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