AFRICA: NIGERIA:Firm spends $150m cement plant

DANGOTE Industries Limited (DIL) of Nigeria says it has spent US$150 million out of the US$400 million total investment of the cement plant under construction in Masaiti, expected to be completed by December 2013.

Meanwhile, Copperbelt Minister Davies Mwila says the province requires a lot of Greenfield investments to accelerate the creation of jobs and contribute towards the country’s economic growth.

Dangote chief general manager Vivek Heblikar says the construction works are on schedule and once completed the cement plant will have a production capacity of 3,500 tonnes of cement per day.

Mr Heblikar said this after Mr Mwila toured DIL’s state-of-the-art cement plant last Thursday.

He,however, expressed concern over the delay in issuance of work permit for specialist from Sinoma Engineering and Construction Company of China adding that the delay in clearing of machinery for construction purposes was likely to affects the construction work.

“Despite facing all these challenges the construction works are on schedule and are expected to complete by December 2013,” he said.

Dangote has cement plants in South Africa, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

He said currently the construction work has created a thousand jobs, adding that, “Upon completion of the plant, 600 permanent jobs for the local people will be created.”

After the tour, Mr Mwila said Government is providing an enabling investment environment for both local and foreign investors.

“We want to see more of these investors in various sectors as they will supplement Government’s efforts in job creation,” he said.

He said Government is aware of the hiccups the company is going through such as the issuance of work permit and clearing of machinery at border areas.

Mr Mwila said his office has already engaged the Zambia Revenue Authority and other concerned stakeholders on the matter adding that, “Government will be able to sort out these problems…to me I expect to see progress now.”

He said the entrant of another player in the cement manufacturing will bring about competition that is likely to result into low cost cement on the local market.