The federal government is concluding plans to introduce the recycling of asphalt for the strengthening of road pavements.

Road construction overseas involves the use of discarded asphalt for recycling, thereby reducing the cost of road contracts by over half of the intended cost, if the use of old asphalt is practiced.

The research and development department of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), had taken a step further by fetching, crushing and rejuvenating discarded asphalt obtained from Lokoja-Okene road and Abuja Kaduna road to be converted to recycled cold asphalt.

The head of research and development, Engineer T.B Eyo, told leadership that the federal government is spending a great deal in the on-going "thruway" method of road construction and rehabilitation, saying it is cost effective to re-use discarded asphalt from the existing road for recycling to construct the new lanes.

He said one of the ways the federal government will introduce recycling of asphalt is to add a clause in adverts for tender, which will include preference to contractors who have recycling equipment, and this would promote the commencement of the use of recycled asphalt for road construction and rehabilitation.

Eyo declared that full blown asphalt recycling would be practised in Nigeria soon, to enable government save the budget on roads for the maintenance of more lengths of roads, because a lot has been invested in roads and the tax payers money must be preserved on completely recycled materials.

He urged road contractors handling capital projects and chief maintenance engineers in all the states to commence the use of recycled asphalt, to reduce the cost of road repair especially at this time when contactors abandon projects for non-payment of outstanding certificates raised for jobs already completed on site.

The economic gains for the use of recycled asphalt on road contracts of N30 billion can be put at N10 billion and government is saving the initial reduction in cost, will increase the number of roads and kilometers to be constructed annually.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the road construction sector are doing every thing within the powers of government to see how the recycling method of road maintenance and construction can be introduced, therefore sophisticated machines and equipment are being considered for importation for recycling.

However, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, has commenced the use of the first technology invented, that is road mat for pot-hole patches.