FERMA defends proposed N64.88billion 2025 budget appropriation

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has proposed a total of Sixty-four billion, eight hundred and eighty-eight million naira) only, for 2025 budget appropriation, comprising N4.9 billion for Personnel Costs, N33.468 billion for overhead costs, and N26.487 billion for capital costs.

According to the statement released on Tuesday stated that the budget prioritizes major trunk ‘A’ roads within Six Geopolitical Zones, aligning with the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s development and economic recovery objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, while the amount is lesser than the N77 billion Naira proposed for the year 2024.

The Honourable Minister of State for Works, Muhammad Bello Goronyo, who is the supervising Minister of the Agency, made this opening presentation on Tuesday at the budget defence before the joint session of the Senate and House Committees on FERMA.
The Minister assured that FERMA is committed to ensure transparency and accountability, using data-driven decision- making and regular community engagement in road maintenance planning.

He disclosed that in collaboration with the Committees and Key Stakeholders, efforts to reduce the burden on Federal Government maintenance of road assets nationwide is being looked into.

“FERMA is in the process of developing, modifying and redefining key policies which will generate resources for the Agency to proactively maintain our roads for ease of movement of people, goods and services”, the Minister added.
Goronyo further expressed gratitude to members of the Committees for their unwavering support in ensuring sustainable development and maintenance of Federal roads infrastructure in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda to enhance infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth.

In his presentation before the Committees, the Managing Director of FERMA, Engr. Emeka Agbasi, reiterated the paucity of funds of the Agency, noting that adequate funding is needed to enable the Agency increase activities in preventive maintenance and other interventions on Federal Roads across the country.

He stressed that the Agency is faced with enormous challenges as a result of low budgetary allocation, while noted that inadequate releases of fund for the 2024 budget, has negatively affected the ability of the Agency to maintain the roads.
Other challenges the MD enumerated that are facing the Agency includes roads age factors, saying many of these roads were constructed in the early 70s and required total rehabilitation, stressed that abuse of the roads by Nigerians is another factor that is reducing road lifespan.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on FERMA, Sen. Hussaini Babangida, frowned at the practice where the Govt have continuous construction of new roads without adequate measures to maintain existing ones.

He noted that the funds for road maintenance is highly inadequate because of the poor conditions of the roads. He is of the view that alternative sources of funding should be explored to increase funding for the road sector.