Minister Calls for Increased Funding to FERMA to Address Nigeria’s Road Maintenance Crisis

The Minister of State for Works, Mohammad Goronyo, has urged for increased funding to the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), highlighting the agency’s vital role in maintaining the nation’s extensive federal road network. Goronyo stated that the agency requires over N700bn annually to meet its road maintenance responsibilities, far beyond the current budget allocation of N64.88bn for 2025.

Addressing the joint Senate and House Committees on FERMA, Goronyo emphasized the agency’s challenge in managing the vast network of federal roads with limited financial resources. While FERMA’s budget for 2024 was raised from N96.7bn to N103.3bn, only a fraction, N41.282bn, was released, and much of that has already been spent. The Minister reiterated that the annual budget is insufficient and stressed that greater financial support is needed to scale up road maintenance efforts.

Goronyo also underscored FERMA’s commitment to transparency and effective planning in road maintenance. However, he warned that without a substantial increase in funding, maintaining the country’s infrastructure will remain a monumental challenge.

The Senate Committee Chairman, Hussaini Babangida, echoed similar concerns, criticizing the focus on new road construction without adequate attention to the maintenance of existing roads. He called for a collaborative effort among stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to the ongoing funding issues.

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