webprince:

Federal Government Sets Up Institute to Boost Cement Production

The Ministry of Trade and Investment has set up an institute called the Cement Technology Institute (CTI) to boost cement production in the country.

The Minister, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, explained that the Institute was being set up to assist the nation to optimise its cement production capacity and capability, through acquisition and development of appropriate technology that would make cement product adequately available as a low cost basic building material for the average Nigerian. This was disclosed by the Minister while inaugurating the Board of Trustee (BOT) and the Project Implementation Team (PIT) for the Cement Institute (CTI) in Abuja .

The Board is chaired by the Group President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, while the Chairman, Project Implementation Team is Alhaji Lateef G. Salami, Director, Industrial Development department in the Ministry. Inaugurating the Board, the Minister pointed out that the Institute would also be the fulcrum for the positioning of Nigeria as a net exporter of cement with the capacity of meeting the needs of the ECOWAS sub-region.


The Institute is mandated to carry out research and development, technology adaptation and human capacity building in cement sub-sector of the economy. He said the objectives of the institute were to train and enhance manpower in cement technology and related fields especially at the middle management level; to undertake research and development in the areas of suitable alternative technologies in cement manufacturing; and utilisation of local raw materials for cement manufacturing.

Others include development of various types of cement high alumina cement; low-heat cement; capacity to use mineral admixtures that will prolong life span of the raw materials; cleaner and environment friendly production processes and waste management in the cement industry; energy conservation; developing and establishing prototype mini-cement plant; and utilisation of locally manufactured components and parts for the cement industry.

He also said that other objectives are to maintain data bank for cement and cement related industries, liaise with other research Institutes with a view to tapping their full potentials for enhancing cement technology development. Part of the objectives include harmonising the programmes of these Institutes in areas of common national interest, train manpower for the cement industry, just like the Petroleum Institute, Warri is doing for oil industry.

Aganga said the CTI would be run and managed as a Non-governmental Organisation with the Board of Trustee members drawn from government and major stakeholders in the cement industry will principally manage the CTI fund, while the Project Implementation Team would undertake and execute the process of the implementation of the establishment of the CTI.

djustice:

I've always maintained that Aganga is an empty suit. Schmoozing up to the likes of the monopolistic Dangote is going to give us cheaper cement. Yeah, right. Pull the other one. He should just go back to his wash-wash job at Goldman Sachs, where he was washing money for Nigerian kleptocrats.

Anyway, that must be the reason they imposed him on Lagos State, even though he's not a Lagosian either by birth, residence or origin. Yeye dey smell. Mscheeeeeewwww!!