The Federal Government has hinted that it is moving away from asphalt highways to concrete road construction across the country.
It disclosed that 70 per cent of federal highways are now being designed on concrete to last longer for public use.
The minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, stated this in Ilorin, Kwara State, where he led federal lawmakers and top government officials on a tour of a plant of KAMSTEEL Integrated Company Ltd in Jimba-Oja, Ifelodun Local Government Area.
He said: “If you think of all the roads we construct in Nigeria, you will discover that we are moving from asphalt to concrete for over 70 per cent of our roads. In fact, all the roads we are designing now are being designed on concrete.”
The elated minister was overwhelmed by many steel products of the KAMSTEEL plant and employment opportunities it created, directed contractors working on the federal government's projects to henceforth patronize local manufacturers for construction materials.
According to him, patronising local manufacturers would help generate jobs and revenue for government, “would also help in minimizing the insatiable quest for foreign products at the expense of locally made materials and in turn safeguard the nation's currency.
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“What we have seen here is a kind of what you see in China and India, and we are so impressed with the massive scale clubbed with modern technology used to produce international quality products. It is something of great hope for Nigeria. Because in having road with concrete, we must reinforce technology, and you will see the multiplier effect.
“It is going to be in line with the agenda, hope, courage and destiny of President Bola Tinubu, which he has brought to us.
“A lot of our contractors are already using local materials. From what I have seen today, and also the files that my directors revealed, we have no hesitation by directing our contractors, almost all, to promote made in Nigeria construction materials.
“Some of our asphalt roads don't last five years. And so with the concrete technology and with every raw material, every ingredient of road pavement sourced locally, a great value for tax payers money.
“So, we are going to support local manufacturers and even getting our presence. If need be, we will even specify it in our procurement for contractors to source materials locally so that we meet highest quality for our bridges.”
The group managing director of KAM Holdings Limited, Dr Kamoru Yusuf, who conducted the minister round the factory, said his firm is determined to ensure standard in all its products.
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He said that his major preoccupation was for products coming from asphaltic to meet the international standard, adding that the company's prime product, Elephant TMT is export grade UKCARES certified product being used for heavy construction activities like high rise buildings, mega bridges, dams, etc.
“We are determined to make the end users to have value for what they are paying for, and that is our mission in the country. We are very sure that any contractors that use our products, they always have good testimonies to say about us,” Yusuf said.
