Africa-Press – Angola. The Angolan Engineering Laboratory (LEA), in operation since 1961, is currently the fourth laboratory in Africa that carries out visual inspection of equipment, after South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia.
The information was provided by the Minister of Public Works, Urbanism and Housing, Carlos Alberto dos Santos, highlighting that, at the moment, the LEA is undergoing renovation and modernization and that it serves an average of 80 institutions per year, compared to the previous 31.
“I take this opportunity to formally present an LEA undergoing renovation and modernization, with the particularity of being the fourth in Africa to have equipment that carries out visual inspection of asphalt pavements, assisted by computers”, explained the government official.
Calos Alberto dos Santos highlighted that today it is possible to carry out, more effectively, studies on the characterization of materials, construction project solutions and observation of road and airport pavements.
The minister was speaking on the occasion of a visit by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, to learn about the functioning of the institution.
He highlighted that for 63 years, the LEA has focused its activity on studies, projects and maintenance of contracts in the areas of roads, airports, railways, ports and buildings, as well as water and hydroelectric developments.
In the mid-1980s, he recalled, the Angolan Engineering Laboratory benefited from a re-equipment program that allowed it to maintain response levels in several areas and, as a legal imperative, quality control of cement and steel produced in the country and imported.
He added that, in 2014, within the scope of the permanent need to renew, update and modernize work equipment and machines, a re-equipment program was attempted, without success, due to lack of financial solutions.
Just 40 years later, in 2019, the President of the Republic approved the implementation of the first phase of the program to re-equip and strengthen the LEA’s institutional capacity, worth 26.2 million euros, he explained.
For this reason, the minister thanked the President of the Republic for the gesture that allowed the laboratory to record a substantial improvement in its ability to carry out work within the scope of its competences and responsibilities.
For example, he mentioned, the LEA carried out an annual average of 15 thousand determinations of 78 different types of tests in the areas of Geotechnics, communication routes, construction materials and structures, but currently carries out 236 different types of tests, representing an increase in more than 300 percent.
Accompanied by some members of the Executive, the Head of State toured the various departments that make up this institution, previously known as LEOPA, responsible for monitoring the quality of public works and buildings in Angola.
During the visit, among the other compartments, João Lourenço verified the technical status of the Department of Geotechnics and Communication Routes (soils and rocks) and the Department of Construction Materials and Structures.
Guided by minister Carlos Alberto dos Santos and the director of the LEA, Fernando Bonito, the PR also made contact with the Department of Chemistry and Environment, with an exhibition of cutting-edge works and equipment.
Before, he watched an institutional video about different public works already carried out and in progress in the country, under surveillance by the LEA, with emphasis on the 11 de Novembro Stadium and the bridges of Quimia and over the Cuanza River, as well as some national roads, among others.
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