BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The Minister of State for Works, Muhammad Bello Goronyo has disclosed that annual budgets cannot fund over 35,000 kilometres of Federal roads across Nigeria, hence the need for alternative funding outside the government’s coffers.
Goronyo stated this while addressing the Management and Staff of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Kogi State Field Office at Lokoja, during his maiden visit to the office, alongside the Managing Director of FERMA.
He reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is determined to fix all the roads to drastically reduce unemployment, crimes and insecurity.
Goronyo said: "Let me commend President Tinubu for his determination. I have never seen a President so committed to sustaining physical assets nationwide. The administration gives priority to various road projects scattered across the country.
"This shows that he is a patriotic Nigerian. He is undertaking these projects so that our economy can be improved, and the rate of unemployment, poverty, and crimes will be reduced. We are seeing the Super Highways from Ilelah to Sokoto to Badagry and another from Lagos to Calabar."
Goronyo, who commended the staff of FERMA for their resilience and hard work over the years, noted that despite insecurity, and inadequate funding, Nigerians have been commending them for their excellent work.
He urged them to bear with the ministry of works over their entitlements, adding that their requests for adjustment and increament in consequential salaries was forwarded to the Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission for consideration and approval.
On maintenance, he said: "About 35,000 kilometres of roads cannot be funded and maintained overnight. We have to look for alternative sources of funding so that we can continue to maintain our physical assets, which are the roads. We have to create new ways of funding and new alternatives."
He assured that the government is focused on timely completion and delivery of the project, with robust oversight and contractors’ compliance.
"I am calling on all of you to support us to ensure that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu succeeds in his mandate to deliver on the 8-point Renewed Hope Agenda. We must put Nigeria first before our interests. Let us fix our roads, we must think positively," he added.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FERMA, Engr Chukwumeka Agbasi commended the ministry of works for its determination to ensure that the 8-point agenda of President Tinubu are realised, especially in road projects across the country.
He informed the staff that before the end of the year, there would be an increment in their salaries and appealed to them to continue to support and partner with the ministry to achieve their targeted goals.
The Officer in charge of Kogi Field Office, Engr Muktar Abdurahim informed the minister that the office has 37 staff with 25 permanent and 12 casual workers.
He disclosed that Kogi state has 16 Federal Government roads with a total of 1,263 kilometres, emphasising that the 2024 nationwide flood incident did not affect any of the roads in the state.
Abdulrahim disclosed that out of six roads under construction in the state, five have been successfully executed, while one is at 60 percent completion level.
He pointed out that they are challenged in the areas of insecurity, hyperinflation cost of construction materials, among others.
The Director of North Central Zone I, Engr Omotayo Awodun commended the Federal Government’s commitment to fixing all the Federal roads across Nigeria, especially those in his zone.
He also applauded the leadership style of the Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi for his innovation, where new techniques and strict supervision are being enforced.
This was contained in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed in Abuja recently.
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