FERMA LAUDED FOR ROAD REHABILITATION – Pledges Readiness for Collaboration
The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) is committed to bringing succour to Nigerian road users through timely interventions and maintenance of roads across the nation, thus FERMA is passionate about ensuring the maintenance of roads across the nation as at when due.
The Managing Director, FERMA, Engr. Nuruddeen A. Rafindadi, FNSE said this recently when he received a commendation letter from the Management Board of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital on the completion of rehabilitation work on the hitherto deplorable roads in LUTH.
Rafindadi added that a nation`s road infrastructure is considered to be one of its most valuable asset, as a good road network promotes economic growth and social interaction.
According to the MD, FERMA was only fulfilling its mandate of making roads friendly and passable to users by rehabilitating roads in LUTH, he said there were many more roads across the nation that have been rehabilitated, while others are being monitored for timely intervention where necessary. It is on the basis of this that the Agency has established the culture of regularly monitoring and evaluating work carried out by the Agency as this is key to improving performance. The monitoring and evaluation team is made up of top Management of the Agency.
Recently, a monitoring team led by Engr. Yusuf Alfa of Operation II, inspected repairs of failed stretches by Direct Labour along Yola-Furore Road in Adamawa State and Bauchi-Jos Plateau State Border road and Bauchi-Kari-Yobe State Border road in Bauchi State.
The Kagoro-Manchok-Vom road linking Kaduna State to Plateau and other North-Central States which serves as a route for the transportation and evacuation of agricultural produce from rural areas to urban centres, thus enhancing the social-economic development of the communities along the road was also visited by another monitoring team.
In another development, the Managing Director assured Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) team who were on a visit to seek partnership with FERMA. FERMA too is ready to enter into understanding with them in identifying, discussing and proffering solutions to the social-economic challenges on infrastructure, which is the hallmark of the Buhari administration’s huge investment and concern, especially on road infrastructure.
He said, “investments in roads have significant potential for the use of resources, create decent jobs, support the economy and strengthen commerce. Long lasting impacts such as improved access to goods and services and production contributes to sustainable poverty reduction with obvious economic and social development’’. Any collaboration that will help advance FERMA’s mandate of making roads in Nigeria safe and motorable at all times is welcomed, he said.
Rafindadi added that the visit of JICA was prompt and timely as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recently signed Executive Order (EO) 007 on the Road Infrastructure Refurbishment and Development Tax Credit Scheme, which provides a platform for private companies to undertake the construction and refurbishment of eligible road infrastructural projects. Executive Order 7 was designed to develop and deliver public private partnership with notable investment, so as to close road infrastructure gap in transportation sector. Under this order, the MD disclosed that nineteen road projects are to be undertaken by six leading manufacturing and construction firms, located in eleven States, and in each of the six Geo-political Zones.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency according to the head of the delegation, is a governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social growth in developing countries, and the promotion of international cooperation.
The delegation was made up of representatives of different organizations involved in various endeavors that serve as support service to road maintenance. Some of their services include; provision of truck scales to solve traffic accident caused by overloaded vehicle, provision and installation of LED guide on the road to avoid traffic accident, provision of product of quick drying asphalt, concrete repairing agent to shorten repair time thereby avoiding traffic jam.
Maryam M. Sanusi (Mrs.)
Deputy Director (Information)
2nd April, 2019
