The Rivers State University of Science and Technology has been acclaimed to be the only university involved in Housing Research in Nigeria.

This was made known by Professor Fidelix Ekeoma Opara during the 26th inauguraral   lecture on the “Development of Magneto-Hydrodynamics and Plasma Generators: Energy of the Future,” last Wednesday.

According to the Professor of Physics, based on the request by the federal  Minister of science and Technology, a group of scientist with various backgrounds on elements of design were assemblied, and surveyed in relevant areas in building research was carried out.

These, he said, were done in order to increase the capacity for effective housing delivery that can be affordable and sustainable.

The result of the various surveys was a revelation of such factors as the number of houses required in Nigeria, the type of locally sourced building materials and how they can be put into use.

“Presently, Nigeria requires more than 17 million houses to satisfy the yarning of her citizen. Hence research into affordable  local building materials cannot be over emphasized,’ he said.

Professor Opara contimued that “the production efficiency of the locally sourced or manufactured building materials shall play a very significant role of the need to tackle the deficit.

“The speed with which we can put to use these building materials to complete a housing unit is very minimal. The cost effectiveness is also very minimal.”

He explained that “it has been shown that a housing unit of 3 bedroom will cost about N2.1 million the house is cheap, affordable and decent.”

Research has shown that the use of these local building material in housing construction is structurally stable, with decent interior an external finishing and with adequate heat and sound insulation,” he stated further.

However, the Dean of the Department of Physics in RSUST lamented that achieving he revelations of various researches has been incapacitated by the non availability of necessary fund.

He, thus, urged government, Individuals, corporate bodies and stakeholeers to take up the challenge by making the necessary fund available.

In his closing remark, the vice chancellor of the university, Professor Barineme Fakae landed the various researches carried out by Professor Opara and his team.

While urging students to study science related courses, Professor Fakae stated that the Rivers State University of Science and Technology will soon grow to the world of Science.

Sogbeba Dokubo