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Tag: FERMA

  • Taraba Senators move to restore collapsed Namnai bridge, visit FERMA boss(Photos)

    Taraba Senators move to restore collapsed Namnai bridge, visit FERMA boss(Photos)

    Senators Haruna Manu and David Jimkuta .on Tuesday paid a working visit to the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to find ways and means to restore the collapsed Namnai bridge.

    Recall that the bridge collapsed in August 2024 and till date nothing meaningful has been done to fix the Federal facility.

    Disturbed by this development both Taraba Senators accompanied by a colleague, Senator Babangida Oseni from Jigawa decided to discuss the issues surrounding the long delay to fix the bridge.

    While responding to their queries, the Managing Director of FERMA, Engr Chukwuemeka Agbasi.said a proper evaluation will be carried out by the agency and make necessary arrangements.

    Senator Manu thanked him after the meeting saying, ” do whatever it will take to ensure that a restoration plan is carried out.

  • Reps Speaker decries non-remittance of 5% of petrol price to FERMA

    Reps Speaker decries non-remittance of 5% of petrol price to FERMA

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has decried the non-implementation and non-remittance of the five per cent of the petrol pump price to Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

    Abbas stated this while declaring open an investigative hearing on non-implementation and remittance of the five per cent user charge in Abuja on Monday.

    The Speaker, who was represented by the Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, noted that the law was still being flouted by relevant authorities in spite of the efforts of the lawmakers.

    “Distinguished guests, it is important to recall that Section 14(1)(h) of the FERMA Amendment Act 2007 stipulates that five per cent of the pump price of petrol and diesel should be allocated to FERMA and the State Maintenance Agencies,” he said.

    Abbas quoted the law as stipulating that the allocation should be in the proportion of 40 per cent and 60 per cent respectively for FERMA and state maintenance agencies.

    He, however, expressed the regret that over the years, the section of the Act had not been complied with.

    This, Abbas said, had affected the operations of the beneficiary agencies of the government and, by extension, the Nigerian people plying public roads.

    He recalled that the house had, on March 19, considered a motion brought by a member, which showed a non-implementation of remittance of the five per cent user charge.

    “The house had expressed concern over the failure of relevant agencies of government to enforce the statutory charge and remittance of the fund to FERMA, and adopted the motion.

    “This resulted in the constitution of this ad-hoc committee to investigate the circumstances for the failure of the relevant agencies of government to comply with the section of the Act,” he said.

    Abbas, who reaffirmed the commitment of the house to the Nigerian people, said this was in accordance with sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    He called for investigation into the status of the five per cent user charge to determine the extent of the violation of the law, the amount of money unremitted and those responsible for it.

    “The assignment for this committee is clear: Nigeria now looks up to you to ask the relevant questions and scan through the necessary documents,” he said.

    The speaker also urged stakeholders to make strong recommendations on how to forestall further abuse of the law.

    Such recommendations, he said, would streamline the remittance processes for ease of access to the funds by the relevant government agencies.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the ad-Hoc committee, Rep. Francis Waive, said that the gathering underscored a shared commitment to accountability, transparency and advancement of the country’s infrastructure.

    Waive, who lauded President Bola Tinubu’s visionary leadership, said that the Federal Ministry of Works remained steadfast in his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    He affirmed Tinubu’s commitment to delivering world-class infrastructure for economic growth, strengthened connectivity and enhanced daily lives of citizens.

    “Our roads are the lifelines of commerce and social integration, and their maintenance is not merely a policy directive but a national imperative,” he said.

    According to him, the five per cent user charge, as enshrined in the FERMA Act, is aimed at serving as a sustainable funding mechanism for road maintenance and rehabilitation.

    He, however, expressed the regret that for years, FERMA had grappled with severe funding inadequacies, hampering its ability to maintain Nigeria’s vast road network effectively.

    “While the agency requires an estimated $880 billion annually for optimal road conditions, budgetary allocations have consistently fallen short.

    “It was N76.3 billion in 2023, N103.3 billion in 2024 and N168.9 billion budgeted for 2025.

    “Though these figures show gradual increases, they remain far below the necessary threshold for sustainable road maintenance,” he said.

    Waive said that the persistent funding gap had forced FERMA into a reactive mode of maintenance rather than a preventive approach.

    He highlighted the consequences of the situation to include: glaring-deteriorating road conditions, increased repair costs and prolonged disruptions for commuters and businesses alike.

    The lawmaker, therefore, called for a proactive strategy, backed by adequate funding, which, he said, was essential to ensure smooth, safe and efficient roadways nationwide.

    Also speaking, the Minister of State for Works, Mr Bello Goronyo, commended Tinubu for initiating a plethora of reforms.

    Goronyo said that the user charge, as enshrined in the FERMA Act, was designed to maintain roads across the country.

    He, however, said that the non-compliance with the spirit and letters of the act had hampered the maintenance of the country’s vast road network.

    The minister reiterated the commitment of his ministry and FERMA to ensuring transparency and accountability on road maintenance across the country.

  • FG commends Delta govt for maintaining federal roads

    FG commends Delta govt for maintaining federal roads

    The Delta State Government under Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori as Governor has received commendation from the federal government (FG) for maintaining federal roads in the State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr Onimogo Okaulola, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) Engineer in charge of Delta gave the commendation on Monday.

    Mr Okaulola gave the commendation in Asaba when the management team of FERMA visited Johnson Erijo, Chief of Staff to Governor Oborevwori.

    Okulola noted that the State government had demonstrated huge commitment towards ensuring that federal roads across the State were motorable.

    While soliciting the continued support of the State government in the maintenance of federal roads in the State, he commended the state government for its intervention in the construction of the Asaba-Ughelli dual carriage way, rehabilitation of Agbor-Abraka-Eku and the Benin-Sapele roads.

    “As an agency we are prepared to deliver on our mandate. The essence of this visit is to seek closer ties with the state government,” Okulola said.

    In his response, Ejiro said that the visit would help to strengthen the relationship between the state government and the agency.

    He urged FERMA to collaborate with the state ministries of works and urban renewal as well as other relevant agencies for more efficient service delivery.

  • FERMA begs Nigerians to protect public infrastructure

    FERMA begs Nigerians to protect public infrastructure

    The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on Tuesday appealed to Nigerians to support the government in protecting public infrastructure.

    It said this was necessary to prevent damage and abuse leading to wastage of funds.

    Mr Olaniyi Kolawole, Director, East Operations, FERMA Headquarters, Abuja made the appeal while inspecting rehabilitation works on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

    The project inspected is the “Emergency/Urgent Repairs of Critical Failed Sections between (Anuoluwapo Shopping Complex -Agbara Market), Lagos Bound and (Agbara Market-Ajibade) Badagry bound.

    The project falls within Lagos 2 West Zone, under the Supervision of Mr Olisah Emeter, the Federal Roads Maintenance Engineer (FRME) in charge of the zone.

    Kolawole said Nigerians deserve smooth roads and the agency began a special intervention programme by direct labour during the Yuletide to fulfil the obligation.

    He, however, said the agency was confronted with several forms of road abuse sabotaging its efforts.

    “This intervention is something we started since December, 2023, we call it Operation Connect Your Destination.

    “We used the Yuletide period as a taking off point to reduce areas of traffic constriction so that Nigerians would be able to travel freely, but beyond the Yuletide period, Nigerians deserve better roads, smooth drive.

    “This place where we are (Agbara Market) has been an area of recalcitrant problem because of the human activities around here.

    “There are two markets on both sides. To my right is the market belonging to Ogun State, to my left is the market belonging to Lagos State.

    “Due to these human activities, the drainage, both on the road shoulders and the median has become the dumping ground for waste generated by people,” he said.

    He said FERMA had carried out rehabilitation works between Ajibade and Okokomaiko bus stop areas in addition to evacuation of the drains.

    Kolawole said due to paucity of funds, the FRME in charge of the section had not been able to complete the work but had done the major portions.

    He said plans were on to cover the drainage channels with slabs to prevent people from stuffing them with refuse.

    He said FERMA was also planning a meeting with community leaders, transport unions, traders and other stakeholders on the axis to tackle the menace of drain stuffing and road abuse.

    “So far, I am impressed, I have seen the good work done by the FRMEs, both the paliatives and the complete permanent solutions.

    “The money we are spending here is our money, it is everybody’s money, it’s tax payers money, unfortunately, it is the same tax payers activities that is creating the problem.

    “So, I want to plead to the community, to the public, that we should own federal properties or government properties, we should take it as our own, we should protect it.

    “So, any refuse we drop in the drain is a minus because it will not allow water to flow. This will cause flooding that will spoil the road.

    “It is your money, my money, tax payers money that will be spent to repair it again. So, we should have a positive community action towards government property,” he said.

    The FERMA boss said he inspected Lagos East roads on Monday and rehabilitation and palliative works had been done to fix bad portions on Epe-Itoiki and Ikorodu towards Lagos.

    FERMA South West 2 Zonal Coordinator, Mr Olayemi Olaniyan, also made further clarification on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway rehabilitation from Okokomaiko to Ajibade.

    Olaniyan unveiled his plans for roads in two zones in Lagos and one in Ogun which are under his jurisdiction.

    “Our plan for 2024 is to make all our road network in the state (Lagos) motorable, including Ogun State.

    “We plan to intervene in so many sections of our roads, majorly between Jibowu and Ikorodu dual carriageway,” he said.

    He listed other roads to receive attention to include Ijora Olopa and Carter Bridge.

    “We are doing milling, reinstatement, scarification, we are doing surfacing of existing routes and then, we are doing pavement strengthening of those roads too.

    “Similarly too, we are working on access to bridges which are ramps,” he said.

    He listed ramps receiving attention to include Awolowo and Sura-Obalende ramps.

    He added that roads exiting the state were receiving attention, citing Epe-Ikorodu, link roads to Sagamu-Ijebu Ode and Ajibandele, Isheri North at the Sagamu Interchange as examples.

    He said there were ongoing projects across Lagos with some just completed in Victoria Island.

    Alhaji Teliatu Gbadamosi, a leader in Morogbo Community and the Chairman National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Badagry Branch commended FERMA for the Badagry Expressway project.

    Gbadamosi said about three months ago, the  Agbara Market section was terrible and impassible but FERMA’s intervention had made the road smooth again.

    He appealed to the agency to complete the rehabilitation of the Ajibade section before the rainy season to prevent flooding and hardship on road users.

    Other motorists who spoke with journalists praised FERMA for the rehabilitation works but appealed for sustained action to keep the highway motorable.

  • Alleged N60bn infractions: PAC queries FERMA over fake contracts

    Alleged N60bn infractions: PAC queries FERMA over fake contracts

    Public Accounts Commiteee, PAC, of the House of Representatives investigating the alleged mismanagement of COVID-19 interventionfunds from 2020 to 2021 on Monday grilled the officials of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, on the ultilization of the over N60bn allocated to the Agency during the dreaded COVID-19 epidemics

    The Committee, being chaired by Rep Bamidele Salam (PDP-OSUN), expressed disappointment over the way and manner the Management of the Agency led by its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Dr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi appeared before the committee with a large delegation.

    The agency that was rescheduled to re-appear before the Committee on Monday could not produce enough copies of the requested documents. Instead of producing about 60 copies to be distributed to the members, there are only 11 copies. and only made its submission in the morning of the same Monday as against last Friday the deadline for submission of documents

    The Agency claimed that a total of 192 projects were carried out across the country, which numbers took turns to debunk that such never existed in their constituencies.

    First to debunk the claim was Rep Jeremiah Umaru, the deputy chairman of the committee, who said that the road mentioned in his constituency, Wamba-Akwanga road had been in a state of disrepair for several years and was surprised to hear the MD mentioning it as part of those facelifted during the Covid-19.

    Another road from Tafawa Balewa area to a location around Plateau state was also put under the spotlight as a lawmaker and member of the committee requested for the pictorial evidence of road during that period hence, saying ” in the claim of the FERMA boss his explanation, it does not sound real ”

    Another lawmaker from Osun, Hon. Adewale Mauruff expressed serious concerns when he informed the committee that, a particular project which was contracted had its fund moved into direct labour without satisfactory explanation pointing out that there was no time survey was done of the raid to ascertain the need to maintain that particular section as mentioned by FERMA.

    Another area that was not believed by the committee was the assertion by FERMA that it had about N8.9m still outstanding in their coffers just as a project administration fee of N9 billion was frowned

    While ruling on the matter, the chairman announced that the Committee would take another criminal look into the books of the Agency and requested more specific documents, vouchers, and pictorial evidence of all the projects.

    In a unanimous conclusion, theq committee set up an ad hoc committee, headed by Hon. Jeremiah Umaru, to physically verify the projects as presented by FERMA.

    The Agency is to reappear before the Committee.

  • Senate confirms Agbasi as FERMA MD

    Senate confirms Agbasi as FERMA MD

    The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Dr Chukwuemeke Agbasi as the Managing Director of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

    This followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on FERMA at the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday.

    Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Committee Sen.Hussaini Uba urged the Senate to consider the request of President Tinubu for the confirmation of the nominee in accordance with section 2(1)(2) of the FERMA Act 2002.

    The Senate also confirmed the appointment of nine other persons as members of the Board of FERMA.

    Those confirmed included Mr Ibi Manasseh, Dr Kenneth Ugbala, Sen.Timothy Aduda, Mr Babatunde Daramola, Mr Preye Oseke, Mr Aminu Papa,Mr Abubakar Bappa, Mr Shehu Mohammed and Mr Yusuf Othmam.

  • Real reason Tinubu dumped Imam as FERMA boss emerges

    Real reason Tinubu dumped Imam as FERMA boss emerges

    The major reason why President Bola Tinubu dropped First Class graduate of UK based Brighton varsity, Imam Kashim Imam has emerged.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls the president had appointed as Board Chairman Imam, son of Borno-born politician Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, who ran for the Office of Governor of his State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2003 and 2007, losing both times to the All Nigeria Peoples Party’s Ali Modu Sheriff.

    Thursday’s withdrawal followed heavy criticism from some Nigerians who argued that Imam, though a first-class graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Brighton University in the UK, has no prior work experience.

    Although the Presidency did not announce his replacement, it said the “withdrawal of the above-mentioned nomination is directed with immediate effect.
    Friday, Tinubu reconstituted the Governing Board and Management team of FERMA for a renewable term of four years.

  • Confusion  as Tinubu revokes appointment of 24-year-old FERMA Chairman

    Confusion  as Tinubu revokes appointment of 24-year-old FERMA Chairman

    President Bola Tinubu has directed the withdrawal of the nomination of 24-year-old Imam Kashim Imam to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

    This is contained in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that the President’s withdrawal of the above-mentioned nomination is directed with immediate effect.

    Ngelale said that the withdrawal would not, however, affect other appointments to the Board and Executive Management team of FERMA.

    The president appointed the 24-year-old “for a renewable term of four (4) years, in accordance with Section 2(3) of the FERMA Amendment Act, 2007”.

    The appointment was said to have generated concerns, with many saying he lacked the requisite experience for the job.

    Although no reason was given by the presidency for the decision.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Tinubu appoints Imam, Agbasi as Chairman, MD of FERMA

    Tinubu appoints Imam, Agbasi as Chairman, MD of FERMA

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of the Governing Board and Management of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

    A statement by Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said this was for a renewable term of four years, in accordance with Section 2(3) of the FERMA Amendment Act, 2007

    The board members are:

    • Chairman of FERMA Board — Engr. Imam Ibrahim Kashim Imam
    • Managing Director of FERMA — Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi
    • Member (NARTO) — Yusuf Lawal Othman
    • Member (FMW) — Engr. Ibi Terna Manasseh
    • Member (FRSC) — ACM Shehu Mohammed
    • Member (Finance) — Babatunde Daramola-Oniru
    • Member (South-South) — Hon. Preye Oseke
    • Member (South-West) — Hon. Oye Ojobe
    • Member (South-East) — Dr Kenneth Ugbala
    • Member (North-Central) — Sen. Timothy Adudu
    • Member (North-East) — Engr. Abubakar Bappa
    • Member (North-West) — Aminu Adamu Papa

    The president urged the new appointees to continue to uphold effective and efficient service delivery in the agency.

    He said that the agency was set to play a central role in the sustainable health of growth-enabling infrastructure nationwide.

  • FERMA laments lack of funds to repair federal roads

    FERMA laments lack of funds to repair federal roads

    The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has said lack of funds is hampering efforts to repair dilapidated federal roads across the country.

    The acting Managing Director of FERMA, Mr Godson Amos made this known in an interview on Sunday in Abuja.

    He stressed funding was a challenge in the maintenance of the 36,000 kilometres of federal highways all year round.

    Amos, however, disclosed plans to fill up potholes and intervene in repairing failed roads nationwide as the rainy season sets in are underway.

    Speaking on how the agency would executive this intervention in the light of lack of funds, Amos said direct labour would be deployed by engaging skilled and unskilled youths in communities.

    According to him, the intervention was necessitated because of the need to ameliorate the hardship and delays road users face daily.

    He said he had gotten reports across the country of the deplorable condition of federal roads across the country, which is causing a lot of inconveniences to road users.

    He added that these failures have hampered economic activities due to the inability of the people to freely move goods from one place to the other.

    ”The failures on the roads are mostly caused by the incessant rainfall being experienced in many parts of the country, which results in cutting off of roads, embankment and collapsing of many carriageway sections at many locations across the country.

    “Also excessive traffic, overloading of vehicles coupled with the age of the roads are other factors that have contributed to the dilapidation of the federal roads.

    “This hinders the free flow of traffic, causing colossal damages to vehicles, wastages of productive man hours and huge discomfort to road users.

    “Our engineers in the Field Offices have already carried out a route condition survey of the Federal Roads and have identified all critical failures like road embankments, washout and failed carriageway section for the agency to take action,” Amos said.

    He further said that appraisals have been made, including the assessment of works requirement, and estimation of resources like men, materials and machines that will be deployed to achieve the most cost-effective result.

    Amos said in order to ensure that maximum results were achieved, the agency had designed a good monitoring mechanism for effective and efficient monitoring of all the projects nationwide deploying a management team for inspection.

    TNG reports FERMA is an agency that was set up for the monitoring and maintenance of all federal roads in Nigeria.