Flood: FERMA seeks N100bn intervention fund for road repairs

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has requested for N100 billion intervention fund from the Federal Government for urgent repair of roads damaged by flood across the country.

Managing Director of FERMA, Mr Nurudeen Rafindadi, made the request on Monday at the National Assembly Complex during the 2023 budget defence session with the Senate Committee on FERMA.

Rafindadi’s request is in response to a question from the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Gershom Bassey, on steps being taken by FERMA to re-fix roads washed away by flood across the country.

According to Rafindadi, evaluation carried out by the agency shows that N100 billion is urgently needed as intervention fund for road repairs in the affected areas.

“FERMA has more significant roles to play in getting things right in the flooded areas in terms of creating access for emergency services.

“Without re-fixing the damaged roads across the flooded areas, no relief material or emergency services can be given to victims.

“Evaluation of damages done on the affected roads across the states have been carried out. We require N100 billion to re-fix the roads,” he said.

Earlier in his submission before the committee, the FERMA boss said that N31.6 billion envelope was given the agency as capital votes for the 2023 fiscal year.

He lamented that the N31.6 billion was not even half of the N70 billion appropriated for similar purposes in the 2022 fiscal year.

Virtually all the members of the committee assured the FERMA boss that legislative intervention would be made towards facilitating the N100 billion intervention fund for road repairs in areas affected by flood.