In view of the level of sustainability and near zero maintenance cost on the road leading to Obajana Cement factory, the Group Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development and Capital Projects, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, has advised for use of cement concrete in the construction of highways in Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television monitored in Lagos, he stressed that aside low cost, use of cement will ensure durability over time.
It would be recalled the company recently sealed an understanding with the federal government to reconstruct Apapa-Oworonshoki Expressway, using concrete within a space of two year and enjoy 10 years of tax holiday in return.
According to him, “We are pushing for Nigeria to do concrete roads. It is cheaper to do a concrete road that will last more than 50 years than a bitumen road”.
“It will also help in eliminating corruption, because if you go and build a bitumen road, it will have to be adequately maintained unlike a concrete road that is very durable.”
Continuing, Edwin averred that concrete roads had longer life span of 50 years or more compared to asphalt roads that could barely last 10 to 12 years.
Besides, engineer say asphalt is vulnerable to heat differentials as it melts during the hot sun of the day and can lose its smoothness over time due to heavy duty vehicular usage.
He also revealed that concrete roads have the comparative edge of not getting deflected under the wheels of loaded trucks, thus making trucks to consume 15 per cent to 20 per cent less fuel when compared to asphalt roads.
Concrete roads also have better resistance to automobile fuel spillage and extreme weather.
Further investigations by Business Hilights show that the company, apart from the pioneer example at Obajana, has commenced development of concrete roads in some states including Lagos, Bauchi, Kogi, Kaduna and Ogun.
AG Dangote Construction, a division of Dangote Industries Limited is pioneering the new technology in Nigeria.
