By Jabiru Hassan, Kano
The Honourable Minister of State for Works, Mohammad Bello Goronyo, Esq., has expressed concern over the inadequate budgetary allocation to the Federal Emergency Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), stressing the critical role the agency plays in maintaining Nigeria’s federal roads.
Speaking during the 2025 budget defense session at the National Assembly on January 14, 2025, Goronyo highlighted that FERMA received ₦96.7 billion in the 2024 budget, which was later increased to ₦103.3 billion by the President. However, only ₦41.28 billion was released to the agency, of which ₦40.28 billion has been utilized to date.
For 2025, FERMA has proposed a significantly lower budget of ₦64.88 billion, broken down as ₦4.9 billion for personnel costs, ₦33.468 billion for overheads, and ₦26.487 billion for capital projects. This budget emphasizes the maintenance of major trunk ‘A’ roads across the six geopolitical zones, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda for economic recovery and development.
During an oversight visit in March 2024, the minister noted that maintaining Nigeria’s extensive federal road network would require over ₦700 billion annually, making the current allocations grossly inadequate. “I implore this esteemed committee to support the agency in scaling up preventive maintenance and promoting sustainable road practices,” Goronyo appealed.
Senate Committee Calls for Sustainable Solutions
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on FERMA, Senator Babangida Husaini, decried the prioritization of new road construction over the maintenance of existing ones. He emphasized that Nigerians are urgently calling for the repair and maintenance of deteriorating roads to facilitate movement and economic activities. “Roads are enablers of growth and development, and we must find lasting solutions to the perennial issue of poor funding,” he stated.
FERMA’s Challenges and Achievements
FERMA’s Managing Director, Engr. Agbasi Chukwuemeka, presented the agency’s 2024 budget performance, noting progress in areas such as road maintenance, pothole repairs, bridge reinstatements, and job creation. However, he outlined challenges, including insufficient funding, aging road infrastructure, climate-related damage, and the need for modernized human resource practices in road management.
Engr. Agbasi also announced the donation of ₦3.3 billion worth of equipment from the Japanese government, set to be commissioned soon, as a notable achievement in 2024.
The budget defense session was well attended by legislators, FERMA management, and members of the press. Stakeholders reiterated the need for increased financial support to ensure the sustainability of Nigeria’s federal road infrastructure.
