Nigerian Minister of works, Sen. Nweze David Umahi has reiterated that concrete road pavement is better, cheaper, adding that it will last longer than asphalt pavement in the construction of roads in some part of the country because of the terrain.
Umahi stated this at a meeting with Directors of the Ministry held at the Ministry’s Conference on Tuesday, which is for purpose of clarification that the use of concrete is not a cast on iron but has been tested to be better than asphalt.
The Minister noted that there are a lot of advantages using concrete in road construction stressing that roads built with concrete can last for 50 years without having issues of portholes or washout, concrete roads have a longer lifespan, it can withstand heavy traffic loads, low maintenance, less affected by temperature fluctuations.
According to him, “A lot of advantages accrue to the use of concrete to construct roads, concrete roads lasts longer compared to asphalt roads reducing the need for frequent repairs and maintenance, it’s stronger and can withstand heavy traffic loads, it also has low maintenance”.
Umahi maintained that nobody is insisting that all on going road construction in the nation should be changed to concrete but that can happen under following conditions; all roads constructed with asphalt pavement must be on concrete shoulder; alternative design on the road shoulder, no shoulder on roads with surface dressing.
“Nobody is insisting that all ongoing jobs will be on concrete, but anyone that wants to continue with asphalt can continue under the following conditions: no shoulder on surface dressing, alternative design on shoulder all road of asphalt pavement must be on concrete shoulder”.
He added that some of the contractors are still working with obsolete and old machines the number of machines on site is hard to get up to 50% of needed machines to carry out the project including personnel.
According to the statement released by the Ministry, Umahi encouraged the directors to fill free to come to him for any suggestion or logical argument saying that the mission of Tiniubu’s administration is to improve on the road infrastructure across the nation for the good of all.
“I am appealing to our consciences to see ourselves as people going to the same direction and pursuing the same agenda for the betterment of all. All those in the field are the same with people in the office. Services in the office is what is keeping the services in the site”, he said.