In a bid to address incidences of building collapse in the country, the Federal Government
on Friday inaugurated Pozzolana Cement Plant in Bokkos, Plateau.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Pozzolana constitute waste and other materials that has cement properties.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, while inaugurating the plant, said that the event was apt, owing
to the importance of cement to construction industry.
According to him, the coming on board of the plant a result of efforts of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute
(NBRRI), there will be quality cement for the construction of solid structures in the country.
He said with the new technology in the production of cement, it would make the product available and affordable for every Nigerian.
Onu added that the plant would create jobs for the teeming job seekers in the country, as well as create wealth.
He noted that “this plant being commissioned today is key to addressing incidences of building collapse in the
country because cement of high quality will be made available.
“Our interest in building this plant is to ensure that we produce cement that is affordable by our people.
“At least the pozzolana property will constitute 40 per cent properties that will be used in producing the Ordinary Potland Cement (OPC).
“This initiative will further create wealth among our people and create huge job opportunities for our teeming unemployed graduates.”
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The minister urged Nigerians to patronise Pozzolana cement to enable effective utilisation of the plant.
Onu appealed to the host community to jealously guard the infrastructure against vandalism.
Prof. Samson Duna, the acting Director General of NBRRI, said that the initiative was aimed at reducing the cost of
cement and promote affordable and sustainable housing in the country.
He said “this project is hinged on the concept of promoting affordable and sustainable housing, where cement is replaced
partially with pazzolana.
“This will reduce the cost of cement and the level of pollution and emission, which are responsible for global warming.”
Duna added that the plant was a key step taken by NBRRI to promote the artificial utilisation of pazzolana in the country.
He explained that the plant consist of six sections, namely: materials handling, grinding, nodulisation, calcination, milling, metering and bagging.
The acting DG said that the plant has the capacity to produce 5,000 tonnes of pazzolana cement annually.
In a related development, the science minister also inaugurated a skill acquisition centre built by NBRRI,
aimed at training young people in various construction skills.
According to Duna, the centre has the capacity to train over 5,000 youths annually in plumbing, iron bending, masonry and brick laying.
Other skills training to be conducted at the centre, he said, are technical detailing, tiling and decorative stonework, as well as
training on health and safety in construction.
