Cement Distributors Go Wild! �Chase Dangote Over Sudden Price Hike

Distributors of Dangote Cement yesterday expressed their displeasure over unexpected price adjustment of the product due to inappropriate notification. Some of the vociferous distributors were seen angrily banging on the door of the office of the Senior Finance Officer, Mr. Tunde whilst others, wielding cudgels, were hitting antiquated plastic water tanks to explain the unfortunate price hikes. They indicated that upward review of GHACEM�s (a local cement manufacturing company) bags has propelled the officials of Dangote to initiate the abrupt adjustment of their ordinary Portland cement class, which was priced at Gh�28.05 but now at Gh� 30.75. They further indicated that the decision taken by Mr. Tunde was ��unilateral and ad hoc�� adding that they had already made payments to the company�s authorized banks where no edict was issued to close accounts and pave way for the new payments. The �inappropriate� announcement of the price hikes was contained in a letter on Monday 1st September, 2014 which reads; PRICE ADJUSTMENT OF DANGOTE ORDINARY CEMENT CLASS 42.5R. Due to the continuous depreciation of the cedi against the major currencies and the input cost, our cost of operation has been affected. As a result we are forced to adjust our price upward before Monday 1st September, 2014. Price per bag of the Dangote Cement Ordinary Portland cement Class 42.5R 50kg is GH�30.75. Thank you as we count on your usual cooperation. Signed�Sales and Marketing Manager. Responding to their agitations, Mr. Tunde requested that they wrote a letter for a refund of their already paid monies for the difference to be added accordingly; else they would be denied their supplies. They however, quickly retorted to the Senior Finance officer�s assertion saying ��we need cement we do not want money��. The recent activity may seem not to deprive the source of livelihoods for only the distributors but the private trailer drivers who use to come with them to carry the cement for the distributors given that some 250 trailers, including it drivers, have been brought in by the Dangote Company to do the same job at a reduced cost. �They have reduced the fee charged by the drivers of the 250 trailers to discourage the distributors from transacting business with their own drivers� the aggrieved distributors underscored at Tema in Accra. In his bid to calm the nerves of the irate distributors, Mr. Abu, the Marketing Manager said he had to consult his boss for any decision to be taken further but that fell on deaf ears as they continued with the refrain ��we cannot keep our money till the V.C comes��. Again, drivers of the company�s trailers have grumbled over poor salaries received at the end of the month and in extension, the company�s entrenched position to make no payments till the next two years should there a change in government.