Olusegun Ariyo
The National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) has called on the Federal Government and construction firms to embrace green cement to cushion the effects of climate change.
The NUCECFWW President, Stephen Okoro, made the call on the sidelines of the 7th National Quadrennial Delegates Conference tagged “Abuja 2025” on Tuesday, September 2, in Abuja.
Green cement
The theme of the conference is “Building Trade Unions’ Future through Strategic Organising and Investments.”
Green cement is a range of eco-friendly, sustainable alternatives to conventional Portland cement, featuring significantly lower carbon emissions.
According to Okoro, just transition is now a global phenomenon, representing the transfer of nature from carbon-based economic activities to a low- or zero-carbon economy.
He, however, said this is done in a manner that limits the negative impact on workers, their families and communities.
“Likewise, in the Civil Engineering, Construction and Furniture Industries, employers in the industry are advised to key into just transition programmes.
“It is time for us to look into the use of green cement for construction,” he said.
Okoro explained that not too long ago, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, reaffirmed the Government’s policy on the construction of concrete roads instead of asphalt.
He said that this resulted in the revocation of contracts hitherto awarded to some construction firms.
“Following these new trends, many workers in the industry lost their jobs, and some employers went bankrupt, causing untold hardship in society.
“Now the position of the union is that we are in support of concrete road construction, especially in areas with difficult topography, but this should take a just transition or gradual process for the following reasons.
“Most employers in the industry are yet to procure concrete road construction equipment, and the majority of our skilled members are yet to be properly trained on the use of this equipment for concrete roads.”
The president, therefore, called on the government to assist employers in the industry in the training of more artisans in that regard, so that gainful employment would be guaranteed with efficiency and high output to accelerate the speed of work.
He said that the year 1972 was the first time the issue of global climate change came to light in Stockholm, and Nigeria signed a document on climate change warning in 1972.
“The question now is what transparent steps our country, Nigeria, has taken in this direction since 1972 and what strategies have been put in place to mitigate climate change effects on the people?”
According to Okoro, the union’s suggestion to government agencies in charge of environmental control is to enforce climate change violations sanctions.
He said that the union also called for the need to fund grassroots campaigns and advocacy on climate change mitigation.
He said that there was a need for a transparent framework on climate change control and an aggressive planting of economic trees and war against deforestation.
He said that there should be compensation for those affected by climate change effects, and there should be dredging of Nigeria’s waterways.
Speaking on building collapse and regulation, Okoro said that the union was worried because the incidence of building collapse in the country has reached an alarming rate.
“Stakeholders like us in the Civil Engineering and Construction industry can no longer keep silent as the incidents keep recurring, with many lives and property wasted.
“It is imperative that we advocate that our governments at the local, state and federal levels should reawaken the regulatory agencies in the building and environment sector to ensure strict compliance with building regulations.”
Okoro said that NUCECFWW strongly demand a holistic approach by regional and urban planning authorities to shun compromise in the discharge of their duties to save lives and properties.
