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Tag: FERMA

  • Buhari approves new governing board for FERMA

    Buhari approves new governing board for FERMA

    President Muhammadu Buhari approved the dissolution of the board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on Thursday in Abuja.

    Buhari’s media aide, Mr Femi Adesina, stated that the president approved the appointment of Mr James Akintola as the new board chairman to succeed Mr Tunde Lemo.

    Lemo had earlier voluntarily stepped down from the position as FERMA board chairman.

    “Other members of the old board have their terms renewed,’’ Adesina stated.

    He quoted Lemo as conveying his appreciation to President Buhari for the opportunity given him to serve the country.

    Akintola, the new FERMA chairman had occupied corresponding position in many states before his new appointment.

    A multi-skilled construction professional, Akinola had been Senior Special Assistant, Infrastructure in Ogun, and Consultant to Kwara government on infrastructure.

    He was Special Adviser, Infrastructure in Oyo State and Executive Chairman, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, among others.

    Akinola holds a B.Sc. Architecture degree from the University of Lagos, and an M.Sc. in the same field from the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University.

  • Works, Finance Ministries inflated our 2021 budget by N11bn, FERMA boss tells Reps

    Works, Finance Ministries inflated our 2021 budget by N11bn, FERMA boss tells Reps

    The Managing Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency FERMA, Mr. Nurudeen Rafindadi on Thursday shocked members of the House of Representatives Committee on FERMA, headed by Rep. Richard Femi Bamise (APC Ekiti) that the Ministries of Finance and Works and Housing inflated their 2021 budget by over N11 billion.

    A member of the committee, Yusuf Gadgi had asked the FERMA boss why their budget had a sudden increase of over N11 billion.

    He said: “Earlier to this moment, we’re privileged to know your budget proposal to the ministry which before getting to National Assembly the proposal changed from twenty something billion, to thirty something billion.

    ” I will respectfully want you to address that aspect. Are you in charge of FERMA, how come before the proposal got to National Assembly, it was increased upwards?

    “If it was increased, confirm to us now, if it was not increased confirm to us. And if it was increased, who is responsible for the increment with what you defended during your inter ministerial defence; and coming to National Assembly, and amount of over N11 billion was increased in the proposal you have earlier submitted. We want that confirmation from you.”

    The FERMA boss, while answering the question said: “Our proposal of budget as it is today is submitted to the federal ministry of works. And the reason is that FERMA is an agency under the supervision of the federal ministry of works. We’re represented at the cabinet by the honourable minister of works.

    “Our budget is in the envelope of the ministry so the ministry is asked to submit their budget within that envelope and it includes budgets of agencies under the ministry of which FERMA is one . So we get instructions to submit our budget through the ministry of works, we submitted to them.

    “And yes it is true, we submit our budget to the ministry, what happens after is between the ministry, then ministry of Finance, budget and National planning until subsequently it reaches the House of Representatives. We only know what was in our budget after submission. We’ve since gotten the budget of FERMA as submitted to National Assembly and we’ve been analyzing the differences between the two budget like you said.”

    Earlier, members of the committee had disallowed the agency from presenting its 2021 budget over lack of execution of the 2020 budget

    The decision of if or not to allow the presentation of the 2021 budget tore members of the committee apart resulting in a prolonged argument amongst members.

    The Managing Director of the Agency, Mr. Nurudeen Rafindadi and his Management team were ordered out of the session as members deliberated amongst themselves on salient issues.

    Members while arguing said the agency has been irresponsible and unresponsive to its core mandate.

    Some of the members said they had called the Managing Director to alert him on the sorry state of some roads and he refused to pick their calls.

    Besides, they said strange items regarding COVID-19 palliatives were seen in the FERMA budget making members to wonder what those have to do with road maintenance.

    Also, the committee members said the relevant budget documents were submitted in the morning, a few hours to the sitting, depriving members of the opportunity to review the budget of the agency.

    Efforts by the Chairman of the committee to prevail on the members on the excuse that time was short and the budget has to be passed in a timely fashion was rebuffed by member, causing the committee to go into a closed door session on the next line of action.

    Eventually the FERMA boss and his team were called in. But the lawmakers agreed that the budget hearing be moved to next week so that a thorough consideration be done.

  • FERMA flags off rehabilitation of Lagos-Badagry Expressway

    FERMA flags off rehabilitation of Lagos-Badagry Expressway

    The Managing Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Mr Nurudeen Rafindadi, on Wednesday assured motorists of speedy completion of repairs on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

    Rafindadi gave the assurance during the mini-flag off of the general maintenance of the Lagos-Badagry-Seme dual carriageway, Okokomaiko-Agbara sections at Igbo-Elerin on the highway.

    He said that the government awarded the contract in May and was committed to making the portion under contract from Igbo-elerin to Agbara junction motorable.

    He said that both the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government were doing repairs of the highway simultaneously from three sections to reduce hardship on the road.

    “From Eric Moore to this point is being handled by Lagos State Government. The second section which is the middle section is from this point.

    “For the next 12 km, FERMA will be doing repair maintenance works on the road and we should be done with it within the next six months to one year,’’ he said.

    He said that the Federal Ministry of Works was also working on the third section of the highway from Agbara to Seme border.

    He assured of strict supervision of the rehabilitation works, saying that the contractor was on ground and ready to quickly complete the work.

    Rafindadi said that the contract sum was about N3.6 billion, saying that measures were in place to ensure that the rainy season does not affect construction works.

    He said that there was synergy between the agency, traffic regulatory agencies and the state government to ease gridlock during the repairs.

    He said that Federal Government also had plans to remodel the section but was working on modalities for relocation of gas pipelines, communication cables and other utilities In the Right of Way of the project.

    Earlier, the managing director inspected repairs done on some sections of Ikorodu Road, ongoing drainage and road reconstruction projects at Karimu St. and Braimoh St., Surulere.

    He told newsmen that he was impressed with the level of completion of the construction of the sites, saying that repair works on Western Avenue had been completed.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the managing director, a team of FERMA and the contractor took a trip on the road to Agbara carrying out assessment of damage and type of materials to be used.

    Mr Alex Zhang, Managing Director, Wizchino Engineering Ltd., contractor of the project, said the firm was going to move an asphalt plant, mixers and other machines to site as well as deploy adequate staff on the project.

    “We will do our best to do quality work because this road is so important not only to FERMA but to the Federal Government, Lagos State Government and the corridor links to Benin Republic,’’ Zhang said.

    Some motorists, residents and business owners on the axis, who spoke with newsmen, appealed to the government to speed up rehabilitation works, reduce gridlock and suffering on the road.

  • FG completes 88 road projects captured in 2017 budget – FERMA

    The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on Thursday said over 88 capital road projects captured in the 2017 budget nationwide had been completed.

    Maryam Sanusi, spokesperson of FERMA, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    Mrs Sanusi said another 66 road projects that were also captured in 2017 budget were currently at 50 per cent completion.

    She listed some of the completed road projects to include rehabilitation of Biu-WanDali road, in Borno, Garkida-Gombi highway, Adamawa and general maintenance and repairs of Bauchi- Ningi, in Bauchi State.

    The rehabilitation of Awe-Iwo federal road in Oyo State, Benin-Abraka road in Edo; construction of feeder road from Iyah-Obelle in Kogi, rehabilitation of Ribah-Diri-Rijau road in Kebbi State, among others.

    Mrs Sanusi, however, said that the agency was making efforts to ensure that all the roads mapped out for maintenance were completed as and when due.

    “The assurance is that as long as adequate funds are available, the agency will ensure that all roads mapped out for maintenance are completed.’’

    She said that all Federal Trunk `A’ roads, were the agency’s main focus, adding that it carried about 90 per cent of total volume of transportation of goods and services.

    According to her, these roads are major contributors to the socio-economic and political development of our country.

    “Aside budgetary allocation, the additional sources of funding as captured in the agency’s Act are yet to be explored. The agency rely on budgetary allocation for its roads maintenance activities.’’

    Mrs Sanusi called on Nigerians to use the roads responsibly and patiently with consideration to other road users, adding that if there where damage along the roads everyone suffers.

    “I will want Nigerians to know that the road is an asset. We use to access our communities and work places. I want Nigerians to know that using the roads responsibly allows free movement of traffic.

    “Nigerians should be patient with FERMA because we know the importance of roads. We are on a tremendous transformation drive as far as road maintenance is concern,’’ she added.

  • BREAKING: Buhari appoints ex-CBN deputy gov, Lemo, as FERMA chairman

    President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Lemo, as Chairman of the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency.

    Buhari also appointed a new managing director and six members of the board of FERMA.

    President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read a letter from Buhari at the plenary on Thursday in which he sought legislative approval for the appointments.

    Details to follow…

  • Buhari appoints Governing Board for FERMA

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday approved the appointments of the Governing Board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

    A statement issued by the Assistant Director (Press) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mohammed Nakorji, said Mr. Tunde Lemo is the Chairman of the Board.

    The Board members are – Nurudeen Abdurrahaman Rafindadi, Buba Silas Abdullahi, Babagana Mohammad Aji, Shehu Udman Abdullahi and Loretta Ngozichukwu Aniagolu.

    Others are – Mujaidu Stanley Dako, Vincent Oladapo Kolawole, Chukwunwike O. Uzo, Olubunmi Siyanbola, Abdulrazak Ma’aji, Saidu Abdulkadir and Peter Osawe.

    The appointments are subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

    The President also approved the re-appointment of Engr. Peter O. Ewesor, as the Managing Director of Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA) for a final term of four years in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(3) of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency Act, 2015.

    Ewezor’s re-appointment took effect from October 3.

     

  • Traffic Flow: FERMA begins rehabilitation of Third Mainland Bridge

     

    The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA has started the rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos to ease difficulty being faced by motorists.

    Checks by the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday revealed that FERMA was removing asphalt on four portions on the Obalende/Church Missionary Society bound carriageway.

    The engineer in charge of the agency, Lagos East, Mr. Tayo Awodun told NAN that the agency was working on both carriageways of the bridge in a manner that would not affect the flow of traffic.

    Awodun, however, said that the heavy traffic on the axis was slowing down repair works, but added that the agency usually staggered work between lanes with less traffic to reduce hardship by road users.

    He said, “The major work we are doing on Third Mainland Bridge is to mill the distressed surfacing after which we would put asphalt overlay.

    “Generally, the challenge we are having is that traffic is ever high on the bridge being one of the major routes for motorists coming to the island.

    “We have always studied the traffic situation and we work when we have less traffic, that is why on some days our work spans into the night on the carriageway that has less traffic.

    “We put on necessary safety measures when working at night. For the Lagos (Obalende/CMS) Bound carriageway for example, we start work at about noon when the rush hours for those going to work on the island would have been over.

    “While for the Oworonshoki bound carriageway, we start work at about 7a.m. or earlier, till about 2 p.m. when we leave site. We try to move men, materials and equipment out of site before 3 p.m. because by 4 p.m. traffic would be back, with people returning from work.”

    The engineer said that FERMA had been on site for over one week, adding that the target of the agency was to complete work on bad portions before May.
    He explained that the work schedule was planned in a way that it would not cause much discomfort to road users.

    “It is sectional milling and resurfacing with asphalt that we are doing,” he said.

    He, however, said that the contract did not cover the entire stretch of the bridge, only critical portions, adding that other portions would receive attention soon.

    NAN