Cement Scarcity Looms, As Dangote Dealers Kick Against Extortion

T

here is an imminent shortage of cement in the country, particularly in the South West geo-political zone.

This is because protesting cement dealers under the auspices of Cement Transporters and Dealers Association of Nigeria (CTDAN) have since Wednesday last week stopped loading cement from the Ibeshe factory of Dangote Cement.

They are protesting multiple taxation and levies from ministries, department, agencies, local council areas and communities in Ogun State.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Independent, National President of CTDAN, Olufemi Ola, said his members embarked on the strike because of breach of agreement on the part of Ogun State Government and its ministries, agencies and parastatals.

He noted that about four months ago, the state government harmonised the taxes payable by his association to the state Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Thereafter, the members were given a ‘Harmonised Sticker’ and ‘Consolidated Emblems’ with a promise that once that was paid they would not be harassed by the government agencies, their tax agents, consultants or local councils anymore.

Ola noted that the ministry sent a circular to the Police Commissioner and copied all Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPO) that actions should be taken to protect his members’ property. “Why that action is not being carried out is surprising to us,” he added.

Ola said he was surprised that things have remained the same as nothing has changed.

He lamented that between the factory site at Ibeshe and Ilaro, a distance of not more than two kilometres, there are close to 10 revenue collection points where his members and their truck drivers are made to pay all manner of tolls ranging from N500 to N1,500 per trip.

National Treasurer of the association, Lawrence Lagbodu, corroborating the submissions of his president, said his group pays over N2.5 million per quarter to the state government as harmonised tax.

However, other ministries, local governments, Bureau of Transport, Ministry of Environment, ‘Park and Garage’, local communities, and tax consultants controlled by the same state refuse to honour the harmonised stickers.

“In fact it is only Ministries of Health and Finance in Ogun State that are not involved in all these.

“All our vehicles have this government sticker. These people say they do not want to know any government sticker.

“They even threaten us with the same police that should be protecting us. Our vehicles have been vandalised, our people have been brutalised and hospitalised.

“These people just act as if they are above the law. The question is, under what authority do these people operate? Where are the monies going? In whose interest are they acting?” he lamented.

On his part, the National Secretary, Linus Edward Onyeana, said the irony of it all was that members of the association are left to their own fate.

They and their property are neither protected by the ministry they paid money to, nor the police with statutory obligation to do so, “as the harassment and intimidations have become a daily occurrence on roads in Ogun State”.

The arguments of the cement dealers were replicated in a circular issued in March by Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, with Reference No: GS227/227.

It was signed by the Permanent Secretary, T.K. Efuwape, and copied to the Commissioner of Police, all Area Commanders, and Divisional Police Officers in the state.

The circular entitled, ‘Recognition of the State Government Accredited Corporate Bodies on Road Levies and Dues’, stated that, “The State Government as a way of creating conducive environment for investment to thrive embarked on measures aimed at preventing unauthorised collections and multiple taxations while eradicating touting on our highways.

“Further to this development, His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, gave directive for the harmonisation of all levies and dues collectable by the government on highways as stipulated on Federal Acts and State laws in which our ministry has been made the co-coordinating ministry.

“Arising from this development, all the concerned Ministries, Bureau and Agencies met to discuss the modalities and many associations and organisations that have shown interest are being given corporate recognition with all payments paid directly into the state government revenue account with the use of stickers and harmonised consolidated emblem on their trucks.

“We have equally put across the request for concerned Government Ministries, Bureau and Agencies to inform their agents or consultants on the recognition of ‘Cement Transporters’ and Dealers Association of Nigeria and all other such bodies that have bought into this provision with evidence of harmonised stickers and consolidated emblems on their trucks the same privilege by informing their agents and consultants not to stop their trucks on the highways,” the circular stated.

However, in a telephone interview with Daily Independent, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, T.K. Efuwape, said her ministry was not aware of all the extortions and illegal toll collections going on between Ibeshe and Ilaro or any other part of the state.

She also said she was not aware that any ministry, department or agency of the Ogun State Government was collecting tolls or any form of levies from the ‘Cement Transporters’ and Dealers Association of Nigeria.

Efuwape said the local councils are different tiers of government and so the state does not have the authority to stop them from collecting tolls in their councils.

“We can only appeal to them, as they do not have power over them,” she added.

Efuwape opined that her ministry was talking to the ‘Park and Garage’ officials to stop collecting tolls from the cement dealers.

Furthermore, she noted that the ministry was meeting with the top officials of cement dealers association on the modalities for renewal of the stickers and harmonised consolidated emblem that expired on July 1.

Source: Daily Independent