Reps Committee Tasks FERMA on Quality Road Maintenance Projects
Tony Icheku in Owerri
The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has enjoined the agency to ensure delivery of quality road maintenance projects so that contracts are not repeatedly awarded for same projects in every budget circle
The Chairman, House Committee on FERMA, Hon Aderemi Oseni attributed about 80% reasons for the frequent breakdown of rehabilitated roads to poor service delivery by contractors, a situation he said would no longer be tolerated by the President Bola Tinubu administration.
The Committee urged the Authority to henceforth award roads maintenance contracts only to quality contractors with professionals in their employment who would adhere strictly to the bills of quantity as specified in the contract
Speaking in Owerri, the Imo State capital, while on oversight function of FERMA projects in the South-East geo-political zone, the Committee chairman similarly urged the engineers from the Federal Ministry of Works who usually inspect and approve such contracts before final payment to insist on standards and strict adherence to the bill of quantity for such contracts
Hon. Oseni however expressed satisfaction with the level of work being done by FERMA South-East during the committee’s oversight visit to Imo and other states in the zone
The committee during a briefing with FERMA officials to review the progress of 2024 appropriation contracts reports. praised the agency’s efforts, emphasizing the need for optimal utilization of public funds earmarked for road maintenance in the 2024 budget.
The committee also charged contractors to prioritize quality jobs, warning that those who fail to meet standards would be replaced.
Oseni assured the committee would address challenges hindering FERMA’s operations, including poor funding and logistics issues, in collaboration with the executive arm of government.
During the inspection tour, Hon. Oseni and other committee members reviewed a completed road maintenance project on the Owerri-Aba Road, expressing optimism about the potential for quality road infrastructure in the country.
On the issue of poor funding and other logistics challenges militating against smooth operations of FERMA in the execution of its mandate, raised by officials of the agency, the House Committee chairman promised to liaise with the executive arm of the government for solutions
”We are fully aware of the challenges hindering efficient service delivering of FERMA we are ensuring that they’re well addressed”.
Hon. Oseni further lamented that from his tour around the country, all the roads in the country have failed. “I am emotional about the state of our roads, and generally all the roads in the country have failed, from Ore to Benin City to Asaba to Onitsha; Ibadan to Oyo to Ogbomosho; Uyo to Calabar roads.
“They are all in very bad shapes. Before President Tinubu came to power, the state of roads was worse. If the contractors are committed to their job and deliver quality roads, there will not be need to repeat a contract on the same road.”
Earlier, the acting Zonal Directors for FERMA South-East I and South-East II, Engr Daniel Ijie and Sulaiman Mohammed, respectively, in their remarks listed insecurity, lack of financial capacity of some contractors and paucity of funding as major challenges facing the two zones.
They added that the committee’s visit demonstrates its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in governance, and its support for FERMA’s mandate to improve Nigeria’s road infrastructure.
Engr Ijie explained that of the 2,412. 66km roads in South-East I comprising Anambra, Enugu and Imo States, 866.97km are in good condition; 679.08km are in fair condition while 866.61km are in bad and poor condition
While responding to the report on the state of roads in Imo State, Hon. Mattew Nwogu who comes from the state noted that from his assessment, he would label any road described as ‘fair’, he would label ‘bad’.
He lamented the state of roads in Imo State are in very, very bad conditions. “The South-East is marginalised, we need more roads to be rehabilitated in the South-East, the roads are in very, very bad conditions, even the road leading to my community near the Imo Airport is in very not tarred”, he lamented
Other members of the House Committee on FERMA on the tour includes Hon. Matthew Nwogu, Hon. Peter Akpanke and Hon. Tanko Adamu, while the FERMA team comprises it’s Federal Road Maintenance Engineers including Engr Nwoke Johnblaise for Enugu State, Engr Ihediwa Uchenna for Anambra State & Engr Osita Collins Nnaji for Imo State, Engr Festus Okafor for Abia, Engr. Mrs. Henshaw Kufre Nkwa for Cross River and Engr. Akinyemi Ojo for Ebonyi State.
ENDS
The Roxettes Group expressed their profound gratitude to the Senate for advancing the Billon local procurement of vehicles, saying that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has displayed bold leadership.
The firm also commended Senator Ndubueze Patrick Chiwuba (Imo North), the sponsor of the bill “for demonstrating unwavering resolve in supporting local production, job creation, and economic revival through structured legislative action”.
However, the Roxettes Group Chairman appealed to President Tinubu to take a number of measures to ensure the success of his government’s industrial policies by giving sustained backing to the Vehicle Procurement Bill “through swift executive assent upon passage”
He also urged the Minister of Industry, and his Trade and Investment counterpart “to ensure inter-ministerial support for policy execution”.
Dr Orji further called on the Director-General of NADDC, “to deepen integration between the ELV framework and manufacturers” while the MD of CREDICORP, should “roll out inclusive financing partnerships with verified local OEMs like Roxettes Motors”.
The Roxettes Group has continued to play a major role in driving Nigeria’s industrial growth through their subsidiaries – Roxettes Motors, Paint Roxettes, Roxettes Chemical Industries, K.KH Contractors, Beezends Inc., Roxettes Breads, City Plates Restaurants, and Roxycab (producers of high-grade calcium carbonates for paint and pharma).
“We are not spectators in Nigeria’s industrial story,” said Dr. Orji, adding, “we are builders, risk-takers, and believers. And with the right policies now in place, this is the time for action.”
The Group has already inaugurated a SKD electric vehicle plant in Obuaku City, Abia State, developed hybrid, gasoline, and CNG mobility platforms, and designed end-of-life vehicle conversion and recycling modules.
Other achievements include building of a credit-compatible sales architecture integrated with emerging digital banks, creating job opportunities for direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians, activated full participation in the circular industrial economy.
“Roxettes Motors stands fully committed to supporting government at all levels in turning policy into tangible value – on the streets, in the factories, and in the homes of millions of Nigerians,” the Group CEO stated.
