Engr Nurudeen Rafindadi, Managing Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency FERMA on Thursday, said rehabilitation works have been intensified around 16 major road corridors across the country.
He said the repairs works were necessitated by the festive season which is just around the corner.
Some of the roads earmarked for repairs for which personnel and resources have been deployed include: Oyo-Ibadan road in Ogun State, Minna-Tegina road in Niger State, Sheda -Abaji road on the FCT/Kogi State, Abaji-Kotonkarfe road in Kogi State, Itakpe -Federal College of Education Road around Okene in Kogi State.
Others are Agbo-Asaba road in Delta State, sections along Benin -Warri road in Delta State, Lokoja-Ajaokuta road in Kogi State, Itobe-Ayangba-Ankpa -Otukpa road in Kogi State, Uyo-James town road in Akwa Ibom State, Ogoja -Katsina Ala road in Cross River State, Biu road in Gombe state, Damaturu-Mauduguri road in Yobe and Borno State, Bauchi-Jos -Akwanga roads in Plateau and Nasarawa States, Bauch-Potiskum road in Bauchi and Yobe State; Katsina – Jibia road in Katsina State.
Rafindadi while interacting with State House correspondents also noted that construction works were in top gear in some arterial roads, especially those frequently used during the holiday season.
He explained that some of the arterial roads fell under those which contracts have already been awarded, noting that between the first and second week of December, serious works will be going on in those locations.
He listed some of these roads to include: Onitsha dual carriage way, Abakalike -Ogoja-Ikom roads, Katsina Ala-Zakibiam-Ukari road, Akwanga-Lafia – Makurdi road, Akwaga-Keffi -Abuja road, Ibadan -Ilesha dual carriageway, Akure -Owo-Eluku road, Owo -Akumgba -Ibilo-Okene road, and Kabba -Amuwo road.
The FERMA Boss said, “The implementation plan is in two parts: the First part which has commenced, from the first week of December, involved stocking of road repair materials and subsequent palliative repair on identified road sections that are damage along these roads that I mentioned under this category prioritization.
“The second part of this implementation is to intensify and expand all ongoing direct labour specifically along the roads that I mentioned and other major arterial roads with isolated potholes.
“There are many roads that have become a perennial cause for attention for FERMA especially roads that are leading into major population centers and major urban areas, for instance, Abuja-Keffi road which is a major gateway into the FCT. This is a road that has a year-round attention and by the nature of the problem they require constant attention”.
