Friday, 24 January 2014
NAIJA I HAIL OOOO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BNEGIN USE OF CEMENT TO CONSTRUCT ROADS
The Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, on Thursday in Abuja said the Federal Government was set to begin experimenting with the construction of roads through the rigid pavement method.
Onolememen said this when he received Mr Guillaume Roux, the Country Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Group Executive Vice President of Lafarge Group.
He said rigid pavement, which is another name for cement concrete surface, was the use of cement, rather than asphalt, and was expected to make roads last longer in Nigeria.
The minister said two roads would be the first beneficiaries after the approval of this year’s budget.
“We have identified major road works where we want to experiment rigid pavement design.
“We have commissioned consultants. They said that one of those roads is the Kachia-Baro road to connect the FCT to Baro Port in Niger.
“The second one is the Ikorodu-Sagamu road in Lagos state. We have completed the design of the rigid pavement.
“Once the 2014 budget is approved, they will come on stream,’ he said.
Onolememen said government was taking measures to regulate the movement of heavy duty trucks to eliminate the high incidence of potholes, caused mostly by such vehicles.
The minister said that the gesture was in line with the quest for best practices in the country.
He urged cement companies to declare what investments they were prepared to bring into the road construction business as it related to the use of their products.
“They are projects where you have to showcase your cement. We are looking forward to collaborating with your organisation (Lafarge) in bringing that experimentation to fruition.
“We believe there are certain terrains in our country that are unfriendly to asphaltic concrete, so we have to design this solution for those terrains,’’ Onolememen said.
He said some cement companies had been identified as one of the sources of the excessive overloading of the roads.
The minister said cement companies were being engaged so as to agree on what tonnage should leave their factory to address the menace of excessive damage on the roads.
He explained that the government would carry out laboratory tests on the products to ensure that they were good for construction of rigid pavement carriageway in Nigeria.
Earlier, Roux had said the Lafarge company had high quality cement for road works and solutions.
He added that they had nine plants at the end of 2013 and intended to increase them to 17 at the end of 2014.
“Introducing rigid pavements will help Nigerian roads to last longer,’’ Roux said.
cULLED From Nairaland
Onolememen said this when he received Mr Guillaume Roux, the Country Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Group Executive Vice President of Lafarge Group.
He said rigid pavement, which is another name for cement concrete surface, was the use of cement, rather than asphalt, and was expected to make roads last longer in Nigeria.
The minister said two roads would be the first beneficiaries after the approval of this year’s budget.
“We have identified major road works where we want to experiment rigid pavement design.
“We have commissioned consultants. They said that one of those roads is the Kachia-Baro road to connect the FCT to Baro Port in Niger.
“The second one is the Ikorodu-Sagamu road in Lagos state. We have completed the design of the rigid pavement.
“Once the 2014 budget is approved, they will come on stream,’ he said.
Onolememen said government was taking measures to regulate the movement of heavy duty trucks to eliminate the high incidence of potholes, caused mostly by such vehicles.
The minister said that the gesture was in line with the quest for best practices in the country.
He urged cement companies to declare what investments they were prepared to bring into the road construction business as it related to the use of their products.
“They are projects where you have to showcase your cement. We are looking forward to collaborating with your organisation (Lafarge) in bringing that experimentation to fruition.
“We believe there are certain terrains in our country that are unfriendly to asphaltic concrete, so we have to design this solution for those terrains,’’ Onolememen said.
He said some cement companies had been identified as one of the sources of the excessive overloading of the roads.
The minister said cement companies were being engaged so as to agree on what tonnage should leave their factory to address the menace of excessive damage on the roads.
He explained that the government would carry out laboratory tests on the products to ensure that they were good for construction of rigid pavement carriageway in Nigeria.
Earlier, Roux had said the Lafarge company had high quality cement for road works and solutions.
He added that they had nine plants at the end of 2013 and intended to increase them to 17 at the end of 2014.
“Introducing rigid pavements will help Nigerian roads to last longer,’’ Roux said.
cULLED From Nairaland
Thursday, 12 December 2013
FAKE SIGN INTERPRETER AT NELSON MANDELA
A "fake" sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial service has reportedly said he suffered a schizophrenic episode.
Thamsanqa Jantjie, who was criticised for apparently making "meaningless gestures" while interpreting the speeches of world leaders on stage, said he takes medication for the condition.
He said he did not know whether it was the scale of the event or the happiness he felt about being involved that triggered the episode.
The 34-year-old, who was pictured signing next to the likes of US President Barack Obama, claimed he suddenly lost concentration and started hearing voices and hallucinating.
He also had visions of angels coming into the stadium and was trying not to panic because there were "armed policemen around me".
Mr Jantjie said the episode impaired his ability to hear things properly and interpret what was being said, but he did not feel able to leave so continued to sign words and phrases that did not make sense.
He apologised and was quoted by South Africa's Star newspaper as saying: "There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation.
"I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am very sorry, it's the situation I found myself in.
"Life is unfair. This illness is unfair. Anyone who doesn't understand this illness will think that I'm just making this up."
Concerns over the interpreter had been raised by deaf people watching the service at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium.
Bruno Druchen, the national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa, said he "was moving his hands around but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for".
South African parliament member Wilma Newhoudt, a member of the ruling party, also said the interpreter communicated nothing with his hand and arm movements.
Both Mr Druchen and Ms Newhoudt are deaf.
Three sign language experts said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages.
South African sign language covers all of the country's 11 official languages, according to the federation.
Nicole Du Toit, an official sign language interpreter who also watched the broadcast, said the man on stage was an "embarrassment".
Mr Jantjie, who was accused of being an imposter, which led to security concerns, claims he is a genuine interpreter and a "champion of sign language" who was paid 850 Rand (£50) for one day's work.
Asked about his interpreting skills, he said: "It is very sad at this present moment because I believe that it was an issue that had to be dealt with earlier.
"If the Deaf Federation of South Africa have an issue with my interpreting they should have clarified it a long time ago, not at this crucial time for our country."
He says he has photographs of him working next to various people including President Jacob Zuma in the past.
He said felt honoured to be part of the historic event on Tuesday, but the president's office has contacted him to find out who recommended him for the job.
The South African government is to investigate what happened.
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