Construction industry key to actualising new Nigeria – CSO

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Centre for Peace, Transparency and Accountability has identified construction industry as a cardinal sector capable of boosting Nigeria’s image among the comity of nations.

The Executive Director of the centre, Mr Ogheneyero Patrick, stated this at a Civil Society Roundtable with Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) on the Review of its achievements in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roundtable had, as its theme: ‘Harnessing the Gains of NBRRI as a key factor in achieving the Next Level Agenda of the Government’.

Patrick said that the direct employment capacity of the construction sector was massive and cut across all sectors of the economy, through direct and indirect engagements.

“In the assessment of the nation’s economic growth, records bare it clear, in the last two decades, that the impact of employment has been minimal.

“The clarion call by President Muhammadu Buhari for a paradigm shift in the management of the nation’s economy is most timely.

“The construction sector holds an important key to actualising this new Nigeria, and NBRRI is a key player in opening up the limitless vista of opportunities for Nigerians, through capacity development,’’ he said.

According to him, one key sector where Nigeria has underperformed over the years, even when the country was flush with oil revenues, is building and construction.

“Due to underinvestment, we have ended up with an enormous infrastructure deficit that requires decades to revive to meet up with the needs of Nigerians.

“Nigeria is not only in need of investments but also innovations in the methods and materials for construction.

“This will help to reduce cost and delivery times as well as increase quality of outputs in the sector,’’ he said.

Patrick said that NBRRI had the mandate of conducting integrated research and development into various aspects of building and road construction industries.

According to him, NBRRI has a central role to play in the Buhari-led administration’s vision for the development of micro-industrialisation which would significantly expand the pool and scope of local construction.

Patrick said that the institute had been fulfilling its mandate in an environment where there was poor appreciation for work done, but remained focus in the onerous task.

“Pozzolana, which was developed by NBRRI as a revolution in construction technology, is one of the most talked about phenomena in construction in Africa.

“It has the capacity to drastically reduce cost of cement, and by extension, cut down the 17 million units housing deficit currently being experienced in the country.

“ Pozzolana is produced from agricultural and volcanic wastes,’’ he said.

According to Patrick, the goal of the roundtable was to advocate for more funding for NBRRI, adding that building goes beyond budgeting.

Speaking on the theme, the Director-General of NBRRI, Mr Samson Duna, said that the increase in cost of imported building materials due to high exchange rate and inflation had informed the need for exploration of local alternatives.

This, he said, would standardise existing materials to ensure affordable housing.

“Findings show that Nigeria is blessed with abundant deposits of basic building materials, which, if explored, can be the solution to some imported components,” Duna said. (NAN)

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