The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Patrick Ndubueze, revealed this when he received the leadership of the Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers in Abuja.
This comes amidst the ongoing tussle between contractors and the works ministry over the directive to immediately dump the use of asphalt and adopt concrete technology.
The chairman’s declaration was in response to recommendations made by the engineers over the lingering issue.
The NHTE President, Saidu Hassan, noted in his address that any project to be truncated and converted to rigid pavement projects will be a violation of the contractual agreement and may lead to litigation.
According to him, both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, and either of them should be used where it is necessary based on engineering judgment.
Hassan stated, “We are very happy by the National Assembly’s timely intervention to suspend the uniform adoption of concrete road pavement policy by the Federal Government, especially at this period when the public space is inundated with policy statements on the suitability of flexible and rigid pavements in the road sector.
“While the Institution of Highways and Transportation Engineers is not against the use of concrete roads, such a policy should have been subjected to the scrutiny of highway stakeholders to ensure that the appropriate engineering procedures and processes are strictly followed and proper implementation strategies adopted.
“We are concerned with the paucity of funds available to the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA from the federal budget to execute road projects capable of ameliorating the suffering of Nigerians.
“From experiences garnered over the years, asphalt plants and other items of equipment used for the construction of flexible pavements would be discarded, and this will amount to a huge loss to the country.”
He further listed suggestions that “to adopt the proposed concrete roads, ample time is required for the importation of new equipment and the training of the relevant manpower.
“For the existing flexible pavement to be converted to rigid pavement, it will require the BPP to fix new rates for the concrete pavement, revise the contract sum, and subsequently seek FEC approval.
“It is pertinent to point out that the durability of road pavement, whether flexible (asphalt) or rigid (concrete), depends on good design, supervision, and maintenance. This can be achieved by adhering to the provisions of the design manual, conditions of contracts, and general specifications, he added.
Responding, the committee chairman promised to ensure extensive deliberations on the issue and will make a decision.
Ndubueze, who represents Imo North Senatorial District, said, “We have received your report and professional input and we will discuss this extensively.
“We will take our decision soon, and possibly we may now officially invite you again with other stakeholders on this issue. In that case, we might come to a conclusion very soon.”
The PUNCH reports that the meeting attended by Ogun State’s former governor, Gbenga Daniels, former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomole, and former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, dissolved into closed-door deliberations.
