The Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has inaugurated a new asphalt production plant in Emene on Thursday.
The state-owned facility boasts a production capacity of 160 tons per hour and is set to cut road construction costs significantly.
This was disclosed in a statement by the governor’s Special Assistant on Media, Dan Nwomeh via his official X account.
Governor Mbah underscored that the plant, developed under his administration, is a crucial move toward achieving self-sufficiency in asphalt production.
It supports the state’s goal of building over 1,000 kilometers of roads annually.
He also outlined future plans to mine and crush stones locally and eventually produce bitumen, aiming to source all materials within Enugu to bolster local industry and infrastructure.
“This is an event that brings us closer to our dream of bidding our collapsed, unpaved roads goodbye. This special and state-of-the-art asphalt production plant is designed to produce 160 tons of asphalt per hour. For context, it will produce 2.5 tons every minute and 160 tons per hour. What it effectively means is that if we decide to work 20 hours a day, we can produce 3,200 tons every day. This is not seen anywhere in the South East.
“The interesting thing is that we are also committed to making sure that we produce the inputs. In a few days from now, we are going to inaugurate a plant where we will be mining and crushing the stones that we need to feed this plant.
“It is our hope that we are going to start the exploration of bitumen in the state because we are also blessed with bitumen. So, in a few years, we are going to be able to produce the bitumen that will feed this plant. It means that we will get the bitumen here, get the stones, and sand so that everything is made in Enugu,” the governor said.
At the inauguration of Enugu’s new asphalt production plant, Special Adviser on Project Development and Implementation, Arc. Uchenna Nwatu emphasized the plant’s pivotal role in realizing Governor Peter Mbah’s vision for infrastructural transformation.
Nwatu noted that the Fabhind-manufactured plant, distinguished by its high standards and eco-friendly design, is the first of its kind in the South East. With a production capacity of 160 tons per hour, it can generate up to 1,500 tons of asphalt daily, facilitating the construction of up to 2 kilometers of road per day.
This development, Nwatu added, will lead to smoother, safer, and more durable roads, delivering significant benefits to Enugu’s residents.
“This Fabhind product is eco-friendly, and undoubtedly, will help the citizenry to benefit from smoother, safer, and more durable road networks.
“Second to none in the Southeast, this asphalt batch mix plant boasts several special features that set it apart from others. With a capacity of 160 tons per hour, giving the state 1,500 tons of the best quality asphalt a day, we can comfortably lay 2km of road a day with two asphalt gang teams in place,” Arc. Nwatu stated.
