FERMA completes 14 road projects in Kebbi

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in Kebbi has completed 14 road projects appropriated to the state under the 2021 capital appropriation and social maintenance projects.

The agency’s Maintenance Engineer in the state, Mr Rilwanu Usman, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Friday in Birnin Kebbi.

Usman said that the projects were completed in view of their economic and agricultural importance to the people of the state.

“The works completed under capital appropriation were special repairs of Kontagora -Kebbi state border road located along the Malando-Ngaski-Warra road.

“It is special repairs involving patching of potholes, scraping off some sections of the road, and asphalting, among others, and it was completed in February.

“We had general maintenance of Sokoto border and Argungu-Birnin Kebbi road, which involved reinforcing of concrete retaining wall along Gotomo town where washout was threatening to cut off the road.

“And also repairing eroded shoulders around Zauro- Ambursa site, among others, were all completed in February.

“We constructed a 2.7 kilometre asphalt road and constructed line drains of about 1.7 kilometers in Jega G.R.A and they were completed in March, this year.

“There was also our Intervention in Koko-Maiyama Federal constituency project where 1.5 kilometres of earth road and five number culverts were constructed in Karaye- Sabon Kamba and Sabon Sara.

“Maintenance of selected roads by stabilization where a section after Gotomo village was causing loss of many lives and we intervened and stabilized,” he said.

Usman added that there were also five projects across the three senatorial districts of the state under special maintenance projects.

“Maintenance of Argungu-Bui road of 550 meters failed section was repaired.

“Special maintenance repairs of Tuga-Ka’oje road, a failed section of the road was fully repaired, involving potholes, and construction of culverts, among others, all completed this year.

“We have also completed the 480 lengths of Malando-Ngaski-Warra road, with the certification of the failed section and repairs with asphalt and patching of potholes in addition to the one under the capital project.

“Rehabilitation of Msama-Aljannare-Duroci road under Kebbi north senatorial district, box culverts, and 180 meters road were constructed with asphalt.

“Maintenance repairs of failed sections along Birnin Kebbi-Argungu border road, 600 meters length of shoulders were repaired and 487 square meters of potholes between Kebbi and Sokoto border were patched,” he said.

Usman said that there were additional recurrent projects under the 2022 appropriation in the state.

“There were repairs of roads between 18 and 38-kilometer potholes along Argungu-Bui road under recurrent projects. 749.2 of failed sections of more than 400 square meters were patched.

“In the recurrent projects, there were general maintenance repairs along Kalgo-Bunza-Feka road and 1.2 kilometers of shoulders were repaired on either site and more than 490 potholes were also patched.

“There was also the construction of 1.22 road, lane drains and three number culverts in Jega phase 2 G.R.A in addition to 2.7 kilometers of asphalt road under the capital.

“Construction and strengthening of section 716 of additional length was strengthened after milling along Birnin Kebbi- Jega road,” he said.

On the use of direct labour, he said, the agency intervened in numerous direct labour projects in 2022.

“Through the efforts of some lawmakers, we had installed numerous solar street lights in some major towns, and there are ongoing construction of drains and other road works, among other projects,” Usman said.

Usman commended FERMA, lawmakers, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and Gov. Atiku Bagudu, for their efforts in making the state among the best in the maintenance of federal roads in the country.