Senator Ashafa advocates exploration of tunneling technology for infrastructure development

In the face of growing population in Nigeria with humongous infrastructure deficit, the need to explore alternative technology, to wit: tunneling and space initiative has been suggested by a Nigerian Senator, Bareeu Olugbenga Ashafa.

Senator Ashafa, representing the Lagos East Senatorial District, last week called on the federal government to explore the various opportunities which lie in Nigeria’s underground space and consider tunnelling in planning its infrastructure development.

He made this statement while delivering a Keynote address at the 2nd Nigerian International Tunneling and Underground Space Conference held at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre in Abuja, last week. The event was organized by the Tunneling Association of Nigeria.

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In his address, Ashafa posited that in consideration of the advancement that has been experienced in the tunnelling industry in  many countries around the world, the initiative is almost a virgin space in Nigeria.

“Not because we do not have any tunnels, but because our infrastructural architecture and drive has refused to tap into the immense possibilities of our underground space”, he said.

Supporting his argument for the need to explore tunneling in Nigeria, Ashafa cited a 2017 report by the United Nation ( UN) Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which specified that Nigeria will be world’s 3rd  most populous country by year 2050.

Describing the report as “explosive and scary”, he posited that population growth could be happening without proportional amenities and employment to sustain that growth.