Luanda, Angola, 7 Aug – Exemption from customs and excise duties for construction materials used for social housing opens up new possibilities for the country’s construction market, said the provincial government of Luanda’s architect, Marcos Pinho Thursday.

Pinho said that the government’s decision would result in greater quality and diversity of material used in low budget work and would favour the creation of the necessary conditions for the Angolan people to build their own housing and accelerate the national reconstruction programme.

The Council of Ministers approved a decree-law in July granting exemption from customs and excise duties of merchandise intended for the construction of social housing, as well as Preslid’s “NossaCasa” (Our House) project, with the aim of selling building materials.

This NossaCasa project includes the sub-project “MinhCasa” (My House) kit, with the aim of selling a package of all the materials necessary for building a social house.

The kit may be bought at any store belonging to the future building materials chain to be set up by Preslid (the Restructuring Programme for the logistical and distribution systems for products essential to the population).

In statements to Angolan news agency Angop, the commercial director of Cimex, Daniel Pereira, said that, as well as stimulating job creation, the measure would force companies who import and sell these materials to improve their technical and human resources in order to adapt to the market.

Cimex has been working for over 15 years in the import, export and sale of, among others, building and electrical materials, domestic appliances and security equipment.

(macauhub)