The mandate to approve cement supplies to public construction projects moved last week to the Ministry of Trade & Regional Integration (MoTRI).

Registrations to buy cement and approvals for sale were under the Construction Works Regulatory Authority. The Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the regulatory Authority three months ago to provide public project services in registration, evaluation and approval.

Project owners are required to fill out a registration data collection form, helping the federal agency supervise progress on 230 projects. Its officials claim to have saved 1.5 million quintals of cement from landing in the hands of intermediaries.

The mandate was granted to the Authority, considering its access to professionals and competence to project demands.

However, the Ministry decided to rescind the responsibility due to the workload. The Ministry's officials argue this has created a lengthy and time-consuming process.

"There was a workload on the Authority," said Teshale Belihu, state minister for Trade.

Abebe Banjaw, the Authority's director for building standards, conceded.

''We couldn't operate due to the workload," he told Fortune.

The Ministry began allocating cement last week, prioritising eight public projects under Ethio telecom, the Federal Police, and the Defence, Education, and Health ministries.

Ministry of Health handles 600 projects in the capital and regional towns, including a two-storey regional laboratory facility under construction in Deber Berhan, 130Km northeast of the capital. The Ministry had placed a demand to buy 4,535qtl of cement two months ago. However, it is yet to receive the cement.

The Authority has sent a letter to the Trade Ministry, approving the Health Ministry's 62pc demand to see through the project completion in Debre Berhan in the next three months. However, the long and intricate cement supply chain has caused delays in public projects. Private projects have not been receiving supplies due to severe shortfalls in production.

"It would be better if projects get supplies directly from factories," said Taddese Yemane, infrastructure director at the Health Ministry.

Construction projects under sugar factories, Ethiopian Electric Power, universities and referral hospitals also require cement to complete projects under their oversight.

The Authority recently approved 214qtls of the nearly half a million quintals requested by Bule Hora, Wello, Debere Birhan, Haromaya, and Debre Markos universities.