Senate moves to scrap FERMA‎

The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would ‎repeal the Federal Road Maintenance Agency Act and replace it with the Federal Roads Authority into second reading.‎
The decision of the Senate followed a bill‎ sponsored by Senator Kabiru Gaya, who sought to widen the scope, functions and sources of funding presently available to FERMA.
Gaya in his lead debate on the bill, argued in favour of semi-autonomous status for the agency and to be saddled with the task of planning, design, construction, rehabilitation, management and maintenance of federal roads across the country.
He explained that the passage of the Bill ‎would eliminate the present duplication of functions between FERMA and the Highways Department in the Federal Ministry of Works.‎
He added that when enacted into law, the Authority would be responsible for managing federal road networks for safety and efficiency.
The bill reads in part: “The Authority will also promote the sustainable, development and operation of the road sector; facilitate the development of competitive markets and the promotion of enabling environment for private sector participation in the financing, maintenance and improvement of roads in Nigeria. It will also ensure the efficient and effective construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction and maintenance of all federal roads.
“It will prescribe measures for preventing damage caused by any person to any road or any part thereof and for recovering, in full or in part, the cost of repairing the damage from such persons or his insurers; and advise the government in conjunction with the Federal Road Safety Corps and other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, on appropriate and effective methods of enforcing road traffic legislation.
“Road transportation remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 95 percent of cargo and passenger traffic.
“There is therefore the need for a sustainable development and maintenance of our country’s road transportation infrastructure as to provide safe, reliable and free flowing system for motorists and other road users in order to facilitate economic activities in the country.
“Best practice around the world indicates that Nigeria cannot overcome its road infrastructure development challenges unless reforms are embarked upon to reposition the road sector and bring it in synch with its peers in the developed and developing nations of the world.
“Permit me to say that federal highway network of 34,000 kilometres constitutes part of the nation’s assets. Nowhere in the world is such a long stretch of roads administered within a bureaucratic structure.
“Therefore, the passage of this Bill will bring permanent solution to the challenges of funding and management of roads in Nigeria.”