Algeria : national gendarmerie opens inquiry on cement crisis

The national gendarmerie services started an inquiry on the presumed shortage in cement on the Algerian market which hampered the activities of hundreds of construction sites across the country, ahead of the counterattack announced by the trade minister, Alhachemi Djaaboub against the speculators.

According to sources, the investigators will try to sort out the real causes of this inflation that impeded the progress of several projects initiated by the president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The inquiry will focus on the illegal proceedings governing the wholesale market as well as retailers in addition to the involvement of the cement producers in the illegal selling of this strategic product to retailers in order to boost their profits.

According to the head of the National Union of entrepreneurs, 80% of the building companies stopped their activities since two months because of the speculation prevailing on the market.