By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, (COSEYL), an umbrella body of all the youth groups in the South East geopolitical zone, has lamented over the astronomical increase of prices of cements in the country.
COSEYL, in a statement signed by its President General, Hon. Goodluck Egwu, attributed the increase in prices of cement from N1000 to N5000 on the failure by the federal government to license other cement manufacturers.
This, according to Egwu, would force landlords to increase their house rent above the reach of the common man, thereby rendering many homeless and poor.
"Nigerians who cannot afford to pay the increased rent will have no other option than to leave the house with their families to live under the bridge or any place that they will not be required to pay rents. The cement that is sold N5000 in Nigeria, is sold at the rate of N300 is some other countries . This is wickedness taken too far.
"The monopoly of cement has led to the suffering and death of so many Nigerians. A situation were the federal government gives licence to only one man in the country to be the producer and seller of cement is gross insensitivity and should stop forthwith.
"The Federal Government should liberalize the cement business by giving licences to Nigerians who are capable of doing the business. Competition in business remains the only way to get the best quality of goods and services at a reduced considerate price .
"One is tempted to believe that the Federal Government is using Alhaji Aliko Dangote who is the sole producer and seller of cement in the country to raise funds for the APC 2023 campaigns by milking Nigerians dry through high costs of cements.
"Why would the Federal Government give licence of producing Cement to only one man in a country that is over two hundred and fifty million (250,000,000) people, if not for the simple reason of oppressing them. We will not accept this oppression from the Federal Government and we demand that cement be sold for N1000 per bag and the business should be liberalize. The federal government should give licence to Nigerians who wants to go into the business.
"As youth leaders of the South East geo-political zone that have the interest and wellbeing of his people at heart, we can not keep quiet and allow this calculated wickedness orchestrated by the federal government against innocent Nigerians to stand. The high cost of cement has greatly reduced the rate of development and those intending to build companies, industries and new buildings cannot do so because of the exorbitant rate of cement. The economy is on a standstill. Nothing is moving," he noted.
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