The Anambra government is currently experimenting with a new technology that will lead to the construction of longer lasting roads in the state.
Gov. Willie Obiano made the disclosure on Saturday at a demonstration of the use of the technology on a short road linking the state secretariat complex to Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.
He said that the new technology was expected to boost his administration’s effort at finding a lasting solution to the challenge of constructing durable roads.
“We just want to experiment with this short and busy road and see how it can withstand heavy traffic before we can begin to adopt it for internal roads within the urban and non-urban areas,” he said.
The governor explained that after the experiment, the road would be placed under close observation for six months to see whether it would withstand heavy traffic.
“And if, eventually, we are convinced that such is the case, then we will begin to apply the technology in the construction of roads in the hinterland and other areas,” Obiano assured.
He said that the test being done on the short stretch of road was at no extra cost to the state government.
Mr Telforn Soden, representing West Incorporate; the owners of the technology, said that the product was a road stabiliser which had been in use in many parts of the world.
“We built roads in South Africa that have been there for 25 years. All that may be required is just resurfacing.
“We have built roads in Turkey, Sudan, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia and many parts of eastern Europe,” he said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Works, Chief Law Chinwuba had said that the new technology was expected to drive down the cost of constructing roads in the state by 50 per cent.
He said that the state government decided to adopt the technology as part of fulfilling its mantra of doing-more-with-less cost.
“Anambra has the best network of roads in the country but what the state has to figure out is the way to maintain the roads,” he added.
Chinwuba commended the governor for funding the purchase of new road maintenance equipment up to the tune of N100 million.
He said that road maintenance teams were currently deployed across the three senatorial zones where they were patching up all broken roads and filling potholes. (NAN)