Concrete Pavement Better than Asphalt Pavement - Umahi   The Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. Nweze David Umahi has reiterated that concrete road pavement is better, cheaper and will last longer than asphalt pavement in the construction of roads in some part of the country because of the terrain.   He stated this at a meeting with Directors of the Ministry held for purposes of clarification by the Minister that the use of concrete is not a cast on iron but has been tested to be better than asphalt. The meeting took place at the Ministry’s conference room on Tuesday October 3, 2023.   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.   “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 the 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.   He encouraged the directors to fill free to come to him for any suggestion or logical argument saying that the mission of Tinubu’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". ...

63 Hearty Cheers to Our Fatherland - Nigeria 1. It is with a deep sense of honour that I express my profound felicitations to the President and Commander-In- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and indeed all Nigerians on this grand occasion of the celebration of 63 years of the Independence of Nigeria, this 1st day of October, 2023.   2. This year’s Independence Anniversary is remarkable as it is historic; it is an event that marks the first Independence Anniversary celebration under the administration of a leader par excellence and living legend who made inestimable sacrifice for the survival our nationhood.  We remember with nostalgia the great zeal with which our fore bearers received the Charter of Freedom from our colonial masters on that glorious day and the turbulence that greeted our journey to nationhood till this administration came on board. Today, the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr. President has come with a Divine purpose for the actualization of the dreams of our founding fathers and the aspirations of Nigerians.   3 Although the challenges are well accumulated and humongous, we vouch that with Mr. President who is a man of honour, courage and great integrity, the glory of our nation shall return to its pride of place. We pledge to work concertedly to improve the quality of life of Nigerians and prosper their livelihood. It is a mission that must be accomplished and a determination that requires the cooperation all Nigerians and the collaboration of all stakeholders for us to succeed. Let's together renew our covenant with God and confidence in the Renewed Hope Agenda of our dear President in this onerous task.   4. As we celebrate a new anniversary of our nationhood, may God continue to bind us together in love, unity and faith and may we progress in bounds in our determination to transform the socio- economic narrative of our nation. Please, accept always the assurances of the esteemed regards and best wishes of my family, the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Works.   Sen. Engr. David Nweze Umahi, FNSE, FNATE, CON, GGCEHF Hon. Minister of Works ...

FG, In Swift Reaction, Visits Collapsed Artisan Bridge In Enugu. The new Artisan Bridge located at km 0+800 Enugu - Port Harcourt Expressway between New Artisan flyover /NNPC Mega Station in Enugu State collapsed and the FG represented by the Honorable Minister of Works, H.E, Sen. (Engr) David Nweze Umahi has swiftly visited the site of the collapsed artisan bridge a day after the information of its collapse reached the Ministry.   The affected Bridge was constructed in the late 1970’s and its collapse took place on Wednesday afternoon 27th September 2023.   The failed Bridge is located on a subsisting project (REHABILITATION OF ENUGU – PORT-HARCOURT EXPRESSWAY SECTION III: ENUGU – LOKPANTA IN ENUGU STATE. CONTRACT No.6251) and the project is still ongoing.   Consequently, a team of Engineers were deployed to the affected Bridge location so as to collate relevant data, and investigate possible cause of the collapse and come up with solution to restore the failed Bridge.   It has been recommended by the Engineers on site that the entire collapsed span be demolished, redesigned and re-constructed to avert future occurrences and loss of lives.   The Minister visited the site to access the extent of damage and to also proffer immediate solution to quickly assuage the suffering of both motorist and commuters plying the bridge. Sen. Umahi said he had to immediately visit because he knew the collapsed bridge has been of critical use to the Socio-Economic growth of the entire South East Region, particularly those commuters within and outside the Enugu State environ.   Earlier, the Governor of Enugu state, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mba, expressed sincere appreciation to  President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the immediate response  to access the collapsed bridge situation with the visit of the Minister of Works, Engr. Umahi who has also assured the Governor that the Federal Government is doing everything humanly possible to reconstruct the bridge with better quality local content materials which he confirmed had been tested and can stand the test of time of long period of usage and longevity of up to Fifty (50) years with no maintenance when built with Concrete Technology that's what is being advocated for use for Nigerian Roads and bridges with such already pioneer  construction both in the Apapa- Oshodi road, the Lekki-Ajah free trade Zone area in Lagos state, also experience has proved that concrete technology used in Ebonyi and recently in Cross River state by the Governor, Sen (Prince) Bassey Otu are the right way to go in Nigeria. ...