By Mercy Adi
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Senator Babangida Hussaini, has painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s road sector, highlighting the need for immediate attention and increased funding. Speaking on Friday after a budget defense session with the Appropriation Committee, at the national assembly complex, Senator Hussaini emphasized the importance of proper road maintenance, citing the alarming state of the country’s road assets, valued at over ₦100 trillion.
“The truth is, we just have to rise to understand the reality of the conditions of our roads and the total road assets in Nigeria… Maintenance is an economy, not a culture. It represents food to Nigerians. It represents employment opportunity for Nigerians,” Senator Hussain stressed.
The senator’s comments come on the heels of recent tragic incidents, including a tanker accident in his home state (Jigawa) that claimed over 200 lives, attributed to the deplorable condition of the roads.
Speaking on the issue of toll gates, Senator Hussain expressed his support, noting their potential to raise funding for road maintenance and serve as a vital security architecture.
“Toll gates are desirable, not even for raising funding for maintenance of the roads, but you must know that they are also vital security architecture. They are a vital planning tool. You can use toll gates to estimate the number of vehicles that ply the road,” he said.
Senator Hussain also addressed the problem of heavy trucks plying Nigerian roads, which are designed to carry a maximum weight of 30 tons. “You have petrol tankers carrying 90 tons, 90,000 liters of petrol. You have, especially for those of us who live along the border areas, huge trucks… carrying more than 120 tons of goods,” he lamented.
To address these challenges, Senator Hussain advocated for a clear demarcation of responsibility among relevant agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Ministry of Works, and FERMA.
“We need to separate and have a clear demarcation of responsibility between FRSC, WORKS, and FERMA, so that we can be able to have KPIs that we can be able to measure the performance of each of the agencies of government,” he said.
As the Nigerian government grapples with the complexities of its road sector, Senator Hussain’s call to action serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for increased funding, improved maintenance, and enhanced security measures to ensure the safety and well-being of Nigerian citizens