FG moves to reduce building cost

IN a bid to reduce incidence of building collapse in the country, the Federal Government has introduced an emerging technology in building infrastructure.

Two Lautech undergraduates, secondary school pupil died in fatal auto crash

The new product, Pozzolana are materials with the property of cement and offers 40 per cent cement replacement in building construction.

Speaking while inaugurating the National Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) Pozzalana Pilot Plant and skills Acquisition Centre in Bokkos,  Jos, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said the Federal Government was encouraging the production of Pozzolana cement made from waste and other materials to make housing affordable  for all and also reduce the incidence of building collapse.

He said that cement was  very important in the construction industry and stressed the need for people to learn and produce more Pozzalana materials that could  meet the nation’s infrastructural needs.  

Dr `Onu added that the present administration was  committed to provision of new skills so as to reduce poverty and create new jobs. 

He called on the Centredirector to enroll students to learn at the centre and also initiate  collaboration with Plateau State University.

Earlier, the acting Director-General of NBRRI, Professor Samson Duna, said that Pozzalana Pilot Plant Project was hinged on the concept of promoting affordable and sustainable house where cement was placed partially with Pozazalana, thereby reducing the cost of cement, reducing the level of pollution and emission of gasses which are responsible for global warming.

“The commissioning of the Bokos Plant is one of the firststeps taken by the institute to promote the utilisation of artificial Pozzolana in the country,” he added.  

Professor Duna further said that the institute had built Skills Acquisition Centres in more than five states of the federation with Benue  and Plateau states having the highest numbers.