Institute builds NYSC lodge with local materials

The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) in partnership with Hydraform Nigeria has constructed a two-bedroom lodge for corps members at Model Girls Junior Secondary School in AMAC Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, using local raw materials at an estimated cost of N3.2 million.

Speaking at the official handing over ceremony of the structure to the management of the school on Wednesday, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, said, “For this structure to be put in place at the cost of just N3.2m shows that Nigerians can be well accommodated. If we continue like this, many Nigerians won’t be homeless anymore.”

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Dr Onu who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Edet Sunday Akpan, said the ministry would support all stakeholders committed to improving on what they had to offer.

The Group Chairman of Hydraform, Abdulhakeem Huthman, said the company collaborated with NBRRI to erect the structure in a bid to support the economic programme of the government.

He said, “We have achieved 90 per cent local content. Looking at this building, local content is 90 per cent. What do I mean? Every building element here is produced locally, and given the situation in the country today, that the dollar is running riot, there is the need for us to look inward and produce whatever we want to use in our industries locally.

“It is a lesson for us that we have to be more self-reliant. We cannot continue to rely on importation of building materials. It is not sustainable.

“The N3.2m bungalow is not on the high side. Globally, that is to be about the cheapest house you can get. A building like this in the US will cost nothing less than $200,000, and here we are doing it for less than $6,000.” 

The Director General (DG) of NIBRRI, Prof Samson Duna, who was represented by the Director, Administration and Personnel, Mrs Ifeoma Iloma, called for more collaboration with Hydraform in order to provide more shelter for Nigerians at affordable costs.