The Minister of State for Works, Mohammad Goronyo, has stated that the Budgetary Allocation to the Federal Emergency Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) was grossly inadequate, adding that maintaining the nation’s extensive network of Federal Roads required over N700 billion.
The Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Mohammed Ahmed who disclosed this in a statement said the Minister made the remark on Tuesday 14th January, 2025 at the National Assembly during the year 2025 budget defense for FERMA.
Goronyo stated that N96.7 billion was allocated to FERMA in the Act of 2024 which was later magnanimously increased to N103.3 billion by Mr. President. Of this sum, only N41. 282 billion was released from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to the Agency out of which N40.287 has been utilized to date.
For the 2025 fiscal year, FERMA proposed a budget of N64. 88 billion, comprising N4.9 billion for personnel costs, N33. 468 billion for overhead costs, and N26. 487 billion for capital costs. This budget prioritizes major trunk A roads within the six geopolitical zones.
The Minister further recalled that during the Committee’s oversight visit to the Agency’s Headquarters on Thursday, 7th March, 2024, it was observed that the yearly budget allocation to the Agency is grossly inadequate to cater to the enormous task of maintaining the nation’s extensive network of Federal Roads which will require over N700 billion.
“I want to implore this esteemed Committee to support the Agency to ensure the sustainability of road infrastructure maintenance. The benefits of increased financial support will ensure scaling up preventive maintenance, and promoting sustainable road maintenance practices”, he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman Senate Committee on FERMA, Senator Babangida Husaini stated that the Committee was taken aback when they saw the proposed budgetary allocation to FERMA wondering why so much attention was paid to the construction of new roads at the expense of the maintenance of the existing ones.
He maintained that Nigerians were yearning for the repairs and maintenance of existing roads to facilitate both their movements and those of their goods. “If we agree that roads are enablers of growth and development then there must be a need to interface with all stakeholders to find lasting solutions to this perennial issue of poor funding”, he opined.
