Evacuating NIPP equipment from Onne to Kaduna imposes newer capabilities on FERMA says MD/CEO.

[FMINigeria]

                        The Managing Director/CEO of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Gabriel Amuchi, has stated that the Agency's Rapid Road Recovery programme, particularly the Operation Zero Potholes initiative, has positively impacted the nation's economic development drive, in several ways.

He made the assertion in Kaduna on Monday, 4th March 2013 at completion of the first set of equipment for the 215 megawatts gas turbine Kaduna Independent Power Project.

According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan issued FERMA a directive to ensure the selected Federal highways corridors of critical economic importance to the nation were pothole-free to facilitate faster, safer and cheaper movement of goods and services. He stated that at about the same time, the Vice President, Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo also constituted a committee made up of various public agencies, to work with Messrs Rockson Engineering, the contractor handling the Kaduna National Power project to oversee the evacuation of the turbines and ancillary equipment from Onne in Rivers State to Kaduna by road, with FERMA co-ordinating the smooth movement of the Equipment and convey to Kaduna (over 950km) road stretch.

To effect the successful evacuation of the equipment, FERMA worked assiduously to recover the 950-kilometre long route between Onne Port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Kaduna.  The route includes the Enugu – Port Harcourt dual carriageway, Enugu, 9th Mile Corner –Obollo-Afor – Otukpa – Ajaokuta road, Lokoja – Abuja road and Abuja – Kaduna dual carriageway.  He said all major failures, washout, potholes and cracks were tackled; with overlay of several sections, as well as widening of some bends to enable the specialised articulated, extra-length and heavy conveyance vehicle negotiate with ease.

FERMA's Executive Director (Planning and Engineering Services), Engr. Mohammed Hassan, who co-ordinated the movement of the equipment from Onne Port to Kaduna said that based on its mandate, FERMA was originally pre-occupied with the task of ensuring the serviceability of the entire carriageway to withstand the weight of the cargo.  He, however, said that to ensure a successful evacuation of the equipment,  FERMA found itself performing more than its traditional role of road maintenance.

According to him, apart from the contractor, Rockson Engineering, who had responsibility to convey the equipment, FERMA co-ordinated many other public agencies such as the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), as well as agencies in States along the route to ensure a smooth movement of the equipment to destination.

He also identified other challenges which include the unusual height, weight and length of the cargo, in relation to overhead power cables which had to be raised to prevent them from being cut by the cargo, and the need to cut power supply from location to location, as well as a chain of flyovers at the Enugu axis which were too low for the cargo to drive under. As a result, he said, the contingent spent additional days in Enugu to navigate through.

Earlier in a briefing to reporters at Onne Port by FERMA MD/CEO during the flag-off of the evacuation, he said FERMA did a comprehensive assessment of the route, including appraisal of the carrying capacity of bridges vis-à-vis distribution of weight per axle on the vehicles used for conveyance prior to the commencement of the exercise.  He said the Agency was satisfied that the carriageway and bridges would not be adversely affected by the weight which was about 11 tonnes per axle.

He explained that the contractors had assured the committee of completing the evacuation before the rainy season and that FERMA will continue to collaborate with the contractors and other stakeholders to ensure that the route is monitored and maintained during and after the evacuation.

According to him, the exercise has demonstrated the importance of roads as a critical infrastructure to the economic development of any nation.  He said it was easier to transport bulky goods or services in our country through the roads, for now.

Engr. Amuchi said FERMA will continue to improve on its operational strategies to discharge on its core mandate of effectively monitoring and maintaining the nation's Federal highways to serve the economic and social needs of Nigerians as part of the transformation agenda of the administration.

Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria