IDONGESIT NKANGA AVENUE (3RD RING ROAD) A WORLD-CLASS MASTERPIECE BY HENZEK ENGINEERING

By Emmanuel Nicholas

Indigenous construction firms were never trusted with the construction of a massive superhighway with 12 lanes, such as the Third Ring Road in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

Never in the history of the state did anything close to that happen because such jobs were reserved for construction giants like Julius Berger, RCC, MCC, etc.

Many indigenous construction firms that bid for such projects did so solely to raise their profiles.
Without a doubt, Governor Udom Emmanuel is a leader who believes in cultivating and developing the Akwa Ibom brand as part of his Dakkada Philosophy.

Besides, the Dakkada Philosophy invites all Akwa Ibom people to conquer their fears, break down the barriers to their success and rise to the faith of their greatness.

That is why the governor’s decision to allow an indigenous firm, Henzek Engineering, to compete with multinational construction companies should be commended.

While the company has shown itself as a rising star, it has also demonstrated its ability to compete on an equal footing with multinational construction corporations.

The high-quality delivery of the Third Ring Road, which is nearing completion, is a strong statement that if given the opportunity, an Akwa Ibom person can excel in any profession.

The quality of the work is evident to all, but more importantly, the meticulous finishing of the road has dissuaded critics who had argued that awarding such a large contract to an indigenous company would be a waste of public funds and result in subpar service.

One of the problems of road construction in Nigeria over the years has been durability rather than inflated costs, and Engr Uwem Okoko, Managing Director of Henzek Engineering, deserves all praise for meeting the contract's obligations.

The Third Ring Road was built in accordance with the required engineering methods, according to those who are familiar with the project.

Every step of construction was handled with strict engineering precision - the demolition and removal of unsuitable soil, grading and sloping, preparation of the subbase, installation of the binder and surface course, asphalt surfacing as well as installation of butt joints and transitions.

A thorough final roll will complete the project and deliver a five-star superhighway to the state.

But let’s get back to the basics. Earthwork is one of the major phases in road construction and involves the removal of topsoil, along with any vegetation before scraping and grading the road area into a finished “formation level.”

This is usually done using a tractor shovel, grader, or bulldozer. Below the formation level, it is important that the strength of the soil, also known as the “subgrade,” is tested prior to the beginning of earthwork.

That was what informed the decision of Henzek Engineering to remove over six feet of unsuitable soil, refilled the road with pure red earth and compact it in three stages during the earthworks.

A high-quality precast drainage system was developed before the earth was refilled, just like other multinational construction companies do.

Where necessary, underground drains were constructed to adequately evacuate and discharge flood water to their terminal points.

Following the completion of the earthwork, the company built three levels of subgrades, each of which was around 50 meters in thickness .

Before the binder course was rolled, the stone-base concrete was laid out to the desired subgrade thickness, which was about 100mm.

The company's approach to asphalting has also left many pondering why such a large quantity of bitumen was poured on a single road.

This is because after the binder course was completed, three levels of asphalt were laid with the stage measuring 50 meters of rough surface bitumen, second stage also measured 50 meters (and contained small stones mixture) and while the finishing was done with pure nylon asphalt which gave the road its smooth and glassy spectacle.

[b][/b]Idongesit Nkanga Avenue is 9.5 kilometers long and has 10
lanes; two middle-road drains, two side drains, six concrete road dividers, and three roundabouts with water fountains at the Oron, Nwaniba, and Aka Road connections.
The last two lanes of the lovely road are illuminated by solar-powered floor lights and double middle floor lights.
Another appurtenance of the road is the provision of a concrete floor on the median with a narrow earth path for planting trees and flowers.

As part of safety measures, the company has not only installed iron barricades along the entire length of the road to prevent users from indiscriminate crossing but has also created crossing points at every 100 or 200 meters.

The high quality, the sheer magnificence, and the sense of durability of the Third Ring Road have made many wonder whether it was constructed by a local company. And the answer is a resounding “YES.”

When it comes to the construction industry, Henzek Engineering has proven the pundits wrong by making a bold statement with Idongesit Nkanga Avenue finishing .

The company today employs more than 5,000 workers, including both skilled and unskilled labour, and has more than 300 pieces of machinery.

Engr Uwem Okoko has positioned the company to operate locally, nationally continental , and at the international level, thanks to Governor Emmanuel who understands that building indigenous economy provides opportunity to grow more enterprises with the concomitant rewards in job creation and poverty alleviation.

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