As a drive in curbing the menace of quackery in the build industry, the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute organized a training session for Artisans in the South-Eastern part of the country. The training was divided into two sections comprising theoretical aspect and practical Aspect.
The training started with an opening remark by the zonal coordinator Mr. Sunny Ezirim who emphasized on the need for artisans to inform the populace to use local building materials especially laterite stabilized bricks and blocks for affordable and mass housing provision.
The first trainer Engr. Gidado, informed participants that several projects have been executed using NBRRI bricks. It has several advantages over the conventional blocks in terms of good appearance, good thermal comfort, good fire resistant, bullet proof, easy to use, high compressive strength and cost reduction.
The second speaker, Arch. Angela Ogwu spoke extensively on the need to commercialize the ideas that they have imbibed from the training by procuring NBRRI brick making machine through their co-operative as that will make the machine affordable for them. And that the machine comes in three versions: semi-automated machine, diesel engine powered machine and electric motor powered machine.
The practical section was done with the NBRRI interlocking machine and artisans were shown the process of preparation of materials for brick/block production. This involves sieving of soil, covering of material, mixing of materials, ball test, materials needed, batching and mixing, volume of mix, loading the machine, ejection of blocks from the machine, stacking and curing.
It ended with presentation of certificates to participants and closing remarks by the zonal coordinator.