Dangote Industries Limited has commenced the construction of concrete roads in various states across the country.
Sources at the company’s head office revealed that the company has already commenced construction of roads in Lagos, Bauchi, Kogi, Kaduna and Ogun state among many others.
The source who informed that the company is presently constructing roads in more than five states across the country, added that State governments are beginning to see the need to embrace concrete roads.
It would be recalled that the Chairman of Dangote Cement, Aliko Dangote, recently reiterated his plea to the Federal Government to consider the use of concrete roads in the country.
The African richest man said, it will be to the benefit of Nigerians and even the federal government to embrace the option of using concrete for roads in the country. Aside from being very cheap, he said concrete roads are more durable and that its maintenance cost is near zero.
According to him: “We are pushing for Nigeria to do a concrete road, it is cheaper to do a concrete road that will last 50 years than to do 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.”
Dangote’s Executive Director Stakeholders Relations and Corporation Communications, Engr Mansur Ahmed also strongly canvassed for the use of concrete to construct roads in the country recently at a conference in Abuja. He said: “Using concrete to make roads is a choice that Nigeria must make”
He also said concrete roads makes more economic sense for a country like Nigeria, as the use of Asphalt has left the roads in deplorable conditions. He said Asphalt is no longer evoke in developed climes.
He also revealed that the construction of concrete road is faster and can last for half a century compare to Asphalt, emphasising that concrete roads are 20 per cent cheaper to build.
According to him, in the construction of concrete roads, the cement raw materials are readily available while Asphalt is imported into the country.
It would be recalled that the company has just expanded its frontiers to Asia, by constructing a 3 million metric tons per annum (mmtpa), Cement Plant in Nepal, as part of its new investment of $4.34 billion into 10 African countries.
Currently in 15 African countries, excluding Kenya, Niger and Mali, which are new projects. The company’s current total capacity stands at 48mmtpa, out of which Nigeria alone has the largest chunk of 29.3mmtpa.
Dangote recently said: “…..We are not only building cement plants in Africa, we have gone far away to NEPAL to build a 3 million metric tons Cement Plant capacity.’’
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