Some cement dealers in Enugu State have blamed hike in transportation fare, for the increase in the commodity in the state.
A survey conducted in Enugu on Thursday, showed that there was an increase of about 30 per cent in the commodity.
Mr Anthony Ekigbo, a cement dealer, at the Kenyatta Building Materials Market, lamented the deplorable condition of roads particularly in the South East Zone for the hike in fare.
According to him, it takes vehicles long hours to deliver goods from Benue or Port Harcourt to Enugu due to bad roads.
Ekigbo also said that the federal government ban on the importation of the product into the country’s market, however, influenced local production.
He said that the insecurity being witnessed across the country was also a problem as many lorry drivers dread plying for fear of being attacked.
“The Burham cement is being sold for N2,450 but now sold for N3700. The same applicable to Dangote Cement which is more popular in Nigerian market.
“Dangote cement is being sold for N2,400 in 2020 but now sold for N3,700 and N3,800 depending where you bought the product.
“Unicem cement which people refer to as very essential N2,500 but now sold at the rate of N3,750.
Mr Emmanuel Tansi, another dealer at the Nike Timber Market, Abakpa Nike, said the product was witnessing a high demand especially now that the dry season was about to set in.
Tansi appealed to governments at all levels to complete the roads in the zone to reduce the cost of the product.
