Concrete technology, the right choice, says Umahi

….as BUA Cement reinstates commitment to reduction in price

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

The minister of works, Engr David Umahi has applauded himself over the choice of concrete technology for use on Nigerian roads, saying the use of the technology would be a huge success.

He said he was confident of utilising  concrete road technology, stating that the  decision was not out of place considering its benefits.

The Minister stated this Thursday in Sokoto while fielding questions from journalists after the inspection of BUA Cement facility which is part of his inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of highways in Sokoto State.

Umahi said he was in Sokoto to inspect what he described as a very ambitious road project being embarked upon by the President of the Republic of Nigeria, Senator Tinubu Ahmed.

He added that the Federal Government was “constructing 372 kilometers of roads, multiplied by two, which means its dualization. One road is an existing one, which we are doing complete rebuilding, and then a brand new road, again, of 372; a total of 744 km roads.

The Minister revealed that the President requested the road to be done very fast, but skeptical on the volume of cement to use.

“So, we are constructing the first 372 kilometers running from Kaduna, Zaria, Zamfara, to Sokoto, with asphalt as the carriageway, and then the shoulders will be concrete. But the entire new lane, carriageway, will be constructed with concrete.”

Stressing the agenda of President Tinubu for the road sector, Umahi said that “I know very well that Mr. President’s still desires that the public should get something much better. And he’s giving all the support, so we still expect that you will fulfill the promise you made to Mr. President as we’re going back to the status quo so that the public can benefit.

“The very massive housing project Mr. President has embarked upon will definitely see the light of the day. And also, the massive road construction Mr. President has embarked upon will also benefit from this initiative.”

On the facility tour of BUA cement, the minister expressed satisfaction on the work done. He said “So we have gone there, we have seen, and it’s quite amazing, the complexity of the cement factory of BUA in Sokoto.”

“We saw very organized industrial setup, no single dust. There was no need to use a nose mask. There was no loitering of workers, everything being in automation.”

While speaking to journalists about the cooperation of BUA Group with the Federal Government on the reduction of price of cement, the Group Executive Director, BUA Cement, Alhaji Kabir Rabiu said his company stands by the commitment made to the Federal Government two weeks ago.

He said further that “then we gave a commitment, not only on the pricing, but also on additional capacity to go to the market, reassuring that with 165 additional trucks on a daily basis from our Sokoto cement allotment, we’re putting almost 400 trucks by day of cement into the market.”

“We believe this additional capacity is going to have a serious positive effect on the supply and demand issue in the country, he emphasized.

He reaffirmed that “we also gave in our commitment that we don’t believe cement should sell more than 7,000 Naira anywhere in Nigeria.

He thus promised that “we will continue to do our best to support this administration, to support Mr. President’s agenda in ensuring that Nigerian economy is back on its feet and is doing so much better than it is doing at the moment.”

On his part, the Senate Chairman of Committee on Housing, Senator Aminu Tambuwal noted that cement product is very critical and a major component towards delivery of housing projects by the Federal Government by state governments and even by the private sector in our country.

In a statement signed by Olusola Abiola, Director Information, the inspection visit by the Minister to Sokoto and Zamfara States will see him inspect four projects across four States; which includes Katsina and Kaduna States.