SUSTAINABLE CEMENT UTILIZATION IN ENUGU, ENUGU STATE NIGERIA

The research work examined and analyzed Sustainable Cement Utilization in Enugu, Enugu State Nigeria. The research was carried out between July 2009 and January 2010. Sustainability is the power to use a thing and still
keep it going or maintained for the next use. (Oxford Dictionary). The concept of sustainability now transcends environmental sustainability to embrace economic and social sustainability (Plessis 2001). Cement is the key element in the rapidly growing construction sector. High cement cost affects people’s ability to build homes or engage in other forms of construction. And this situation is very worrisome in our country with the housing crises we are facing. Cement supply in our country has not met the demand, 41.5% of the cement used in Nigeria is produced within the country and 57.5% imported (Ikponmwosa 2008). To worsen the situation, the famous Nkalagu Cement has been closed down. The challenge of cement production in Nigeria includes the problem of power supply, gas supply, distribution network as well as infrastructure development. The objective of this research is to investigate sustainablecement utilization in Enugu production, supply, importation, shortfalls, alternatives and effects on the environment. Data were obtained through questionnaires and oral interviews and analyzed using bar charts, percentage and chi-square. It was found out that the socio – economic component of sustainable utilization is the most challenged and this effect is from transportation and production which produces carbondioxde (CO2) and this is very unfriendly to the environment. It the problems of the cement industries are handled, the country will be able to meet the demand and one of the steps to achieving this should be the reactivation of the well known Nkalagu Cement in Enugu State.

BY IHEAMA NDIDI BLESSING, BEING A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M. SC) DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA.