The Chairman of the Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Hon. Remi Oseni, has expressed grave concerns over the poor state of Nigeria’s roads, calling for a complete overhaul of the management within the Ministry of Works. This call to action came during a meeting with FERMA officials and the Minister of Works in Abuja.
Oseni highlighted that despite substantial budget allocations for road repairs, the ministry has failed to utilize these resources effectively to address the widespread deterioration of road infrastructure across the country. His frustration was particularly directed at the representative of the Minister of Works, Director of Bridges and Design, Mr. Bede Obiora, who cited a lack of funds as the reason for the ongoing road issues.
Obiora stated, “The industry does not know how to address the challenges… But the issue is when you ask for resources, are those resources available? That is the big challenge… The final result we get is after the appropriation by the National Assembly.” He emphasized that the ministry’s requests for funding are often met with inadequate resources, complicating their ability to maintain roads.
In response, Hon. Oseni rejected Obiora’s explanations, asserting that the ministry has consistently failed to prioritize road repairs, instead opting to award new contracts without maintaining existing infrastructure. He emphasized the need for a serious commitment to addressing the challenges facing the road sector.
Oseni stated, “Where we find ourselves calls for serious dedication; it calls for a total replacement of the part of the management of the entire ministry… How can you be telling us that there is no resources? You have no plan for us as a nation.” He criticized the lack of focus on fixing existing roads and urged the ministry to concentrate efforts on maintaining and repairing the infrastructure that is already in place.
In a passionate conclusion, he remarked, “We are wasting our resources than solving our problems. I am not interested in emotion. I am concerned about how to fix Nigerian roads.”