House of Reps query FERMA over failure to fix bad roads

The Acting Managing Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Peter Ibu, yesterday appeared before members of the House of Representatives to explain the failure of the outfit to repair bad roads across the country.

Ibu, who appeared before the Jerry Alagbaso-led House of Representatives Committee on FERMA blamed the lack of funds for the inability of the agency to perform its duty.

He, however, acknowledged the release of N10 billion to the agency penultimate week.

He explained that the agency was yet to use the money because it was yet to satisfy the requirements of the Public Procurement Act as well as get “proper” clearance from a superior authority.

FERMA’s Executive Director, Taiwo Adekoya, who accompanied Ibu faulted the notion that the agency had sabotaged the developmental agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

However, the excuses were not accepted by the lawmakers who insisted that FERMA should be blamed for the state of poor roads in the country.

Muhammad Usman (APC: Markarfi: Kaduna) lamented the high rate of accidents on Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway due to the bad road. He accused FERMA of not putting into effective use monies appropriated to it over the years.

According to him: “Each time the management of FERMA comes here, we are always disappointed by your submission. As far as I’m concerned, I see the attitude of the agency as a sabotage. Why is it that each time you appear, you don’t really talk, we ask questions you are not prepared to answer them.

“Mr. M.D, each time you are asked what your challenges are, you tend to be economical with the truth. Let’s forget about the N10 billion you got and still not using and talk about 2015. What happened to all the funds allocated to your agency in 2015 for the repair of Nigerian roads? Or are you saying that in that year there was no release of any kobo to FERMA from the Federal Government for the repair of roads?”