NAN-H-121
Road
By Uche Bibilari
Abuja, Feb. 2, 2017 (NAN) The Acting Managing Director, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Mr Peter Ibu, has pledged to collaborate with the House Committee on FERMA to sustain road maintenance in the country.
Ibu said this in a statement signed by Mrs Maryam Sanusi, Head of Communications/Public Relations Unit of the agency on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, this maintenance programme will keep critical and economically viable roads in fair condition all-year round.
“FERMA is the only institution established by the Act of the National Assembly to monitor and maintain all Federal roads.
“FERMA cannot do it alone without the cooperation of the legislature to achieve better result,’’ the statement quoted Ibu as saying.
He urged the lawmakers to overlook any act of omission on the part of the agency, which he attributed to pressure.
Responding, the leader of the House Committee on FERMA, Rep. Jerry Alagbasso said that the Committee was ready to partner with the Agency to ensure maximum improvement on Nigerian roads.
“Road maintenance is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders to relief commuters of hardship being experienced on the road.
“FERMA should capture all it needs in the 2017 budget and ensure that omissions observed in its 2016 budget presentation were corrected,’’ he explained.
Some FERMA equipment like the Asphalt Plant and other equipment in Kuje was also inspected.
The committee members demanded that the Plant should be utilised to its maximum capacity.
They also advised that the agency should seek more funds to maintain the equipment and produce more asphalt for distribution to other zones of the country for road maintenance. (NAN)
UU/OIF/AFA
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Felix Ajide