PRICES of some building
materials in Asaba and its
environs have increased in the
last two months, a survey by the
News Agency of Nigeria, NAN,
has shown.
The survey showed that prices
of building materials, such as
sharp sand iron rod, granites and
cement increased slightly.
The survey revealed that
a tipper load of sharp sand,
which was sold for N15,000
in Asaba in May, now costs
N16,000, while six tonnes of
the same commodity now sells
for N10,000 as against N9,000
before.
The survey also showed that
the price of granite slightly
increased as a tipper load of the
commodity, which was N218,000
in May, now sells for N220,000.
The price of iron rod also
recorded an increase as one bar
of the commodity which was
sold for N1, 700 in May, now
sells for N1,750.
Some of the dealers of building
materials attributed the
increases to the rainy season.
The dealers said although
patronage was usually low
during the rainy season because
of low activities in the building
industry, it was very difficult
dredging sharp sand during the
period.
Mr John Omikolo, a dealer of
sharp sand, said, “it is always
very difficult for dredgers to
dredge sharp sand in the rainy
season because of the high level
of water in the river.
“The few dredgers who are able
to take the risk to dredge this
period pay more for the labour.
This, among other things, has a
way of affecting our prices.’’
Another dealer, Mr. Lawrence
Okondu, said that in most cases
dealers of sand hardly dredged
themselves but employed the
services of dredgers, whose
services were very expensive.
The price of cement also
recorded a slight increase as each
bag sold for N1,650 in May, now
costs N1,700