In Nigeria today, there is no doubt that there are myriads of problems facing the citizenry. But if there is one issue which has elicited a national consensus, it is the fact that most Nigerian roads are in deplorable conditions and in complete state of disrepairs.
Worried by this ugly and intolerable situation, the federal government sent an executive bill to the National Assembly which without hesitation passed same, resulting in the establishment of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in November, 2002. Consequently, FERMA marked Nigeria’s first-ever institutional mechanism for concrete national policy platform, best practices and quality control in roads maintenance management.
Most of the 35,000km road networks that are assigned to FERMA to maintain, have diverse and multiple problems to keep them motorable all year round. While some of these problems are caused by the longevity of the roads and attendant wear-out, others are caused by irresponsible human behaviour and activities ranging from the dumping of refuse on the shoulders, drainage channels and manholes, illegal and dangerous parking on the road causing failure and collapse of these roads, in addition to the avoidable road crashes, injuries and fatalities they cause.
Vandalisation of road infrastructure such as street light cables and fittings, bridge railings, bill boards and road signs, metallic crash barriers, dragging and haulage of destructive objects on our road surfaces, excavation on shoulders,embankments and cutting across roads to lay water pipes, and roads sides to lay communication cables, driving on kerbs, chutes and shoulders which destroys flow channels, spilling of waste oil and burning of tyres which destroys carriage way among other negative human activities. From the above perspective, it should be stated that while the commuters and, indeed, all Nigerians have the legitimate right to complain and be concerned about the deplorable state of our roads, it should also be noted that unwholesome practices and activities of our people will not in any way contribute to the remedy and succour.
At its inception, the agency gradually started with handling about 5,000 roads, but as its activities lengthened in years and with careful planning, it was able to respond to most pressing emergencies all over the country simultaneously. Experts in roads construction believe that if FERMA is given all the resources it requires, it has the managerial skills, the competence and the dedication of its workforce to be able to carry out successfully the mandates assigned to it by the federal government. This assertions is underscored by the fact that even in the North-Eastern part of the country where insurgency is prevalent, namely Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe and some parts of Bauchi state, FERMA has ensured that the commuters and other road users do not suffer unduly as a result of the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents as road maintenance activities are currently ongoing in that axis. For the avoidance of doubt, the problems in these areas being handled by FERMA are also being replicated in all parts of the country.
FERMA has carefully and methodically studied the problems facing road maintenance in Nigeria and also mapped out the template for solving the problems but what it lacks is sufficient financial resources to adequately and successfully carry out its mandate. Authorities in FERMA are hoping that apart from the agency estimates that in addition to its annual budgetary need of about N40bn, of which N25bn is expected to be met from the 5% fuel levy on the pump price of fuel, a provision of a sum of N70bn under capital expenditure is needed to effect the structural strengthening and overlay of about 3,500kms of road on a yearly basis. If this programme is sustained over a period of say eight to10 years, it is estimated that the entire Federal road network would have been contained under the programme.
What is more, the emergence of the acting Managing Director of the agency, Engr. Peter Odeh Ibuh, has rekindled the spirit of the workforce when he assured the staff of the management’s determination to ensure that their welfare is his priority. And at a recent meeting he had with the contractors of the agency handling the medium-term road maintenance, he made it clear to them that it would not be business as usual.
The other issue being raised is the fact that many engineers and road construction experts believe that if the Federal Ministry of Works can be more meticulous in the design and construction of roads, putting into consideration the soil content and soil structure of roads so constructed, it will go a long way in preserving the life span of roads because in applying asphalt all section of the road do not have same soil structure.
Many Nigerians who are not conversant with the work of the agency may be critical of its activities but if they can peep into what the agency has achieved in its short span of existence, they may be less vocal in their criticisms. In all perspectives, since FERMA cannot in one fell swoop accomplish all its desired activities, it has developed a two-pronged programme, namely the medium and the short term. The medium envisages that contractors would be kept permanently on sites on agreed terms, while the short term is the direct labour concept.
Despite the dwindling financial resources of the government, the management of FERMA is determined that all resources at their disposal will be transparently put into optimum use to lessen the travails of millions of road users by keeping most of the roads motorable and less hazardous all year round.
The new helmsman at the Agency, Engr. Peter Odeh Ibuh, has demonstrated immense competence in all the places he had previously served. He is, therefore, seen as a great asset to the Agency.
Usman Adams, is a veteran journalist based in Abuja
