Nigerian Minister of Works and House, Babatunde Raji Fashola has revealed that road construction is a life impacting asset that should not be toyed with, adding that having it across the federation are assets to the country but depreciates over time and should be maintained.
Fashola made the clarification at the celebration of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) 20th Anniversary held at NAF Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja recently.
He noted that from the day any road is opened for use to motorists that is when the life span and asset value of that road begins to go down which already is calling for maintenance.
“So from the day when you start to drive on the road, the asset value of that road begins to go down and therefore you are already generating a maintenance need and this is perhaps the way it should be and this takes us to the larger issue of the need for maintenance in the construction industry,” he said.
The Minister stated further that engineers in road construction have lot to do after each construction and commissioning the road for motorists. “People need to be taught all the necessary things to be known about road construction starting from how roads are built to the dos and don’ts that perhaps bring the biggest step of maintenance to the fore.
“Engineers have a lot of work to do. Teaching people how roads are built, and what roads do not like. In order for the teaching to stay long with people, the teaching must not be done with technical language.
“There are engineers in almost every community in Nigeria, if people understand the do’s and don’ts of roads that perhaps is the biggest step towards the maintenance, which has started because roads are depreciating assets,” he said.
The Minister reaffirmed that maintenance and operation create high number and lasting jobs for citizens and that is why President Muhammadu Buhari appropriately signed Executive Order No 11 which states that maintenance is not a culture but an economy that we must appropriately nurture because of its bountiful nature.
“The experts will tell you that after design and construction all of which employ less than 40% of the work force, it is maintenance, operation that create the longest lasting jobs and employ the longest and largest number of people and this is why President Buhari has appropriately signed Executive Order No. 11, the Maintenance Order, saying to all of us that maintenance is not a culture, it is one that we must appropriately nurture because it is bountiful,” he said.
Fashola announced the institutionalization of facility maintenance in the system saying that it creates a lot of opportunities to the general populace both direct and indirect, creates long term jobs, a large supply value chain of small businesses, engaging the artisans and sustaining the larger economy.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing is undertaking maintenance in 24 Federal Secretariat complexes across the country with a facility manager assigned to each and at least 40 persons are employed which is expanding the implementation of the Executive Order No.11.
Fashola said further that very soon the importance of maintaining assets in turn will automatically reach every part of the country.
The Minister reiterated that road is a life impacting asset, atotal economic package that many people’s lives and livelihood depend upon, adding that there is large economic dependence on the movement of millions of people on the highways at different points and parks on the highways.
Fashola congratulated FERMA on their 20th anniversary celebration and all the invited guests for rejoicing with them, admonishing FERMA to keep the ball rolling and encouraged them to start advocacy work to compliment all their efforts and what the ministry is doing also.
During his welcome address, the Chairman Governing Board of FERMA, Mr. Babatunde Olakunle Lemo, OFR thanked the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for being extremely helpful and supportive to them.
He appreciated the efforts of the former governing board of FERMA saying it is the foundation they laid that is keeping them moving. He welcomed all the guests and wished them all the best.
While delivering his keynote address, the Managing Director of FERMA, Engr. Nurudeen Rafindadi, presented a Book titled “FERMA @ 20, the Journey so far, challenges and way forward,” and thanked the Minister of Works and Housing and the Ministry as a whole for giving them freedom to operate and being with them in all they do.
Speaking at the event the Honourable Minister of State Works and Housing, Hon. Umar Ibrahim EL-Yakubu said: “Congratulations FERMA on your 20th anniversary and to all those who have supported your journey towards changing the future of our road network.”
Commenting also was the Chairman Senate Committee on FERMA, Sen. Gershom Bassey,who urged FERMA to achieve zero portholes on the nation’s highways and advocated for minimum of two options of traveling for travellers. “You either go by road or by air not zeroing everyone to fly because the roads are bad”.
In a goodwill message the Chairman House Committee on FERMA, Hon. Femi Bamisile, requested that FERMA should install weigh bridges on our roads to check axle loads and apportion appropriate sanctions on defaulters.
The highlights of the event were a book launch to commemorate the 20th existence of FERMA as an Agency of government titled, “FERMA Footprints in National Road Infrastructure Maintenance (2018 – 2021)” which was unveiled by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina, the unveiling of the 20th Anniversary Logo plus FERMA Footprint and also the launching of FERMA short code.
There was also a Panel Discursion Topic:” FERMA at Twenty: Achieving Her Mandate in Uncertain Times,” anchored by Mrs. Claire Adelabu-Abdulrazak.
Present at the occasion were: the representative of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Fashola, the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Hon. Umar Ibrahim El-Yakubu, the Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu.
Also, the Chairman Senate Committee on FERMA, Sen. Gershom Bassey, the Chairman House Committee on FERMA, Hon. Femi Bamisile, pasts Chairmen FERMA Governing Board, past Managing Directors of FERMA and a host of other dignitaries.