In keeping with his campaign promise to construct 10,000 roads in eight years, the governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has inaugurated a mega asphalt production plant built by his administration.
At the inauguration ceremony in Enugu on Thursday, Governor Mbah explained that the state would also begin producing the raw materials needed for asphalt production. He noted that these initiatives would significantly reduce the cost of road construction in the state.
“This event brings us closer to our goal of improving our degraded, unpaved roads. This state-of-the-art asphalt production plant is designed to produce 160 tons of asphalt per hour. For clarity, that equates to 2.5 tons every minute and 160 tons each hour. If we operate for 20 hours a day, we could produce 3,200 tons daily. Such capacity is unmatched in the South East.
“Additionally, we are committed to producing our raw materials. Soon, we will inaugurate a facility for mining and crushing the stones needed for this plant.
“We aim to explore our local reserves of bitumen, as we are fortunate to have this resource in the state. In a few years, we expect to produce enough bitumen to supply this plant. This means that we will source bitumen, stones, and sand locally in Enugu,” the governor stated.
Mbah emphasized that the inauguration of the asphalt plant brings his administration closer to achieving its goal of paving over 1,000 kilometers of roads each year.
“This brings us nearer to our objective of paving at least a thousand kilometers annually in Enugu State—an unprecedented achievement. The length of road we intend to pave each year is often seen as daunting, yet we are committed to this endeavor.
“With this initiative, all of our urban roads will be paved without bias. Just weeks ago, we approved N183 billion for the construction of 141 urban roads and 20 rural roads.
“It’s also important to note that we have completed the paving of 71 urban roads, and work is currently underway on 10 rural roads we previously awarded contracts for.
“We recognize the significance of rural roads, especially as access to farmlands is critical for boosting our agricultural production. With the commissioning of this plant, we will improve access to our farmlands by paving the roads leading to them and enhancing the road networks in our rural communities.
“Thus, our ambitious plans for road development are not mere aspirations, but initiatives we are actively pursuing,” he added.
Earlier in their speeches, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji; Special Adviser to the Governor on Project Development and Implementation, Arc. Uchenna Nwatu; and the Technical Manager of the plant, Mitesh Prajapati, highlighted the plant’s high standards and its role in realizing the governor’s vision for infrastructural transformation in Enugu.
“This Fabhind product is eco-friendly and will provide citizens with smoother, safer, and more durable road networks.
“As the leading asphalt batch mix plant in the South East, it features several unique aspects that set it apart from others. With a capacity of 160 tons per hour, the plant can produce up to 1,500 tons of quality asphalt each day,” Arc. Nwatu stated.
