Road Construction: FG Opts For Concrete Pavement, To Review Ongoing Projects

By Ayodele Oni

This may look like a frustrating step to people of Ekiti and Ondo States, especially commuters of the already dilapidated Akure/Ado Ekiti highway news that the federal government plans to redesign it.

Contract for reconstruction and dualization of the highway was awarded to two contractors by the immediate past administration of President Mohammadu Buhari.

The flag off was performed with pomp by the former works minister, Raji Fashola, with a completion deadline of 36 months.

News of a possible redesign of the highway was broken by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, during a working visit to Akure, who said all ongoing works on highways in the country that has not attain 20 percent will be redesign, using concrete pavement.

According to him, Nigerians would see more of concrete pavements on roads as it has more life span than Bitumen roads.

Umahi, stated this in Akure during a courtesy visit to the Acting Governor of Ondo State,Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, while on inspection of federal roads in the South-West region of the country.

The minister explained that concrete roads had been tested in several states, saying that it has a life span of 50 years, compared to Asphalt roads that will only last for 15 years.

Umahi said that any road construction contract that the job was not more than 20 per cent done would be redesigned to concrete pavement roads.

Another reason for adopting concrete pavement apart from durability is that importation of bitumen alone was putting more pressure on the Naira and with the use of concrete pavement roads, it would be more of local content.

“Very important thing that I must let you know is the issue introduction of concrete technology in our roads. My argument is that you see a lot of roads that are built  on concrete with a life span of 50years.

“But there is no asphalt road here, especially in  South-South, South-East and South-West even if it’s done by top contractors will not last more than 15 years.

”You see jobs that are still ongoing and that is why we are going round  and then redesigning a portion of roads that are maybe 10 to 20 per cent completion and we are sure that this is the way to go and it has guarantee of 50 years.

“Not only that, you find out that  we are having so much pressure on the Naira, the importation of bitumen is putting lot pressure on the Naira, so cement is a local content, almost everything we need is produced in Nigeria.

“Now local content, The high cost of petroleum products and the very volatile nature of the industry is also another point.

“Almost all our project that are awarded three years ago are due for review, some have been reviewed through VOP (variation of price) and so it doesn’t leave us with an assurance that if a project is started that it would appropriated for and it could be completed.”

Umahi stated further that road construction was a dynamic sector as prices of materials needed keep on soaring and varying and despite all, guarantee for road might not last for the designed life span.

“Let me put it on record that bitumen imported in the 1950s, 1960s are of more quality than what we have today, so we have a lot of problems in our hand and that’s why we are of courageous to introduce the concrete road department.”

The Acting Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa,who congratulated the minister on his appointment, commended him for the zeal on his official engagements.

Aiyedatiwa said that most of the federal roads in the state were either deteriorated of poorly maintained,while many suffered severe degradation.

The acting governor called for the dualization of Ore-Ondo-Akure road and the need to rehabilitate Ore-Okitipupa axis among other federal roads in the state.

“It is noteworthy to mention that the intervention of  my boss is principally what has made these roads remain in their present motorable state.”