Nigerian leader and ministers are among the special participants at this year’ International Tunnelling and Underground Conference holding in Abuja

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo has been slated as the special guest of honour at this year’s International Tunnelling and Underground Conference holding in Abuja next week.

Three ministers are also booked to participate at the international conference which is attracting experts and resource persons from European countries such as Italy, United Kingdom, Russia and France. The ministers are Rotimi Amechi (Transport), Suleiman Adamu (Water Resources) and Babatunde Fashola (Power, Works and Housing).

The theme of this year’s conference is – Exploring the Socio-Economic Benefits of Developing Tunnelling and Underground Space Infrastructure in Nigeria.

Abidemi Agwor, president, Tunnelling Association of Nigeria, who disclosed on Monday, March 12, said that the three-day conference would be attended by Tarcisio Celestino, president, International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association; Olivier Vion, executive director, International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association;  Nikolia Bobylev, expert on Underground Space from University of Saint Petersburg and Michel Deffayet, chairman, French Institute for Tunnelling and Underground Space.

Other key participants include Ole Pederseen, director of planning and strategy and Soren Nortoft, director of Tunnelling, both of Stones Consult Group; Ofem  Ofem, managing director, Dubai Smart City, Lagos; Danladi Matawal, director general, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute; Fidelis  Ejikeme, chairman, Nigeria Geo-technical Association and Imo Ekpo, vice-president, International Commission on Large Dams.

He said the forum, backed by the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, the global governing body of the tunnelling and underground space industry, would further examine the concept of tunnelling and underground space use in Nigeria by working with relevant government agencies and professional bodies.

“Our believe is that this initiative will significantly compliment the developmental plans already set in place by the current administration as well as stimulate the development of local capacity in this emergent technology. The benefits that this brings through the prospects of technology transfer between member nations as well as direct investment in underground related infrastructural development are potentially huge,” the TAN president said.

The International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, which has a consultative status with the United Nations, adopted Nigeria as its 74th member nation at the 43rd General Assembly held in Bergen, Norway, in June, 2017.

– Mar. 14, 2018 @ 12:55 GMT |