The minister of state, Works, Mohammad Bello Goronyo, has stated that the proposed budget of N64. 88 billion for the Federal Emergency Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, was grossly inadequate considering the importance and the enormity of the task it carries out nationwide.
He said the agency needs over N700 billion to manage the enormous task of maintaining the nation’s extensive network of federal roads.
Goronyo made this remark at the National Assembly on Tuesday during the 2025 budget defence for FERMA.
In a statement by the director of information, Ministry of Works, Mohammed Ahmed, Goronyo stated that N96.7 billion was allocated to FERMA in 2024, which was later magnanimously increased to N103.3 billion by the president.
He said of this sum, only N41. 282 billion was released from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to the agency, of which N40.287 has been utilised to date.
He said 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.
He added that the budget prioritises major trunk A roads within the six geopolitical zones, aligning with Mr President’s development and economic recovery objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The minister recalled that during the committee’s oversight visit to the Agency’s Headquarters on Thursday, 7th March 2024, it was observed that the agency’s yearly budget allocation 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.
The amount proposed for 2025 is significantly lower than the 2024 appropriation.
“I want to implore this esteemed Committee to support the Agency in ensuring the sustainability of road infrastructure maintenance. The benefits of increased financial support will ensure scaling up preventive maintenance and promoting sustainable road maintenance practices.”
In his opening remarks, Senator Babangida Husaini, chairman of the Senate Committee on FERMA, stated that the committee was taken aback when they saw the proposed budgetary allocation to FERMA and wondered why so much attention is paid to the construction of new roads at the expense of the maintenance of the existing ones.
He maintained that Nigerians cry and yearn daily for the repairs and maintenance of the existing roads to facilitate 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 said.
The managing director/ CEO of FERMA, Engr. Agbasi Chukwuemeka explained the performance of the 2024 budget to the Committee while also detailing the performance of the Agency in line with its Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which include the length of roads maintained, the area of portholes patched, the number of portholes washed out and reinstated, the number of bridges reinstated, and the number of direct and indirect jobs created.
