The House of Representatives has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the adoption of concrete technology for road construction, as directed by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi.
This move comes after a motion put forward by Zainab Bukar on Thursday.
In her motion, Bukar highlighted the potential cost implications for contractors with the implementation of concrete technology for roads.
She raised concerns about the Minister’s push for the adoption of this road construction system without conducting a thorough comparative analysis.
The lawmaker expressed her apprehension, stating, “The Minister of Works’ new policy on cement concrete pavement adoption, without a comprehensive study of the relative advantages and disadvantages when compared to asphalt, may contravene technical specifications. This could potentially lead to breaches of contracts, arbitration, and litigation, especially during these challenging economic times.”
Consequently, the lower chamber has assigned its Committees on Works, Environment, Finance, and Judiciary to examine the benefits and drawbacks of using cement concrete versus asphalt for road construction. The committees are expected to submit a report within three weeks, with recommendations for further legislative action.
