In what appeared a concerted and determined move to explore alternative sources of funding to supplement the financial challenges being experienced by the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), the Federal Government has approved the constitution of a steering committee to look into other sources of funding for the Agency.
Minister of State for Works, Mr Bello Goronyo, Esq., who is overseeing FERMA, who announced this on behalf of the federal government at a one-day retreat for the Board and management of FERMA with the theme; “Delivering FERMA’s Mandate Aligned To Renewed Hope Agenda, tat held recently in Abuja, said the composition of the committee is to enable the Agency deliver on its mandate of effectively and efficiently monitoring and maintaining Federal roads across the country.
Goronyo said there was nowhere in the world where an annual budgetary allocation funded the maintenance of roads infrastructure effectively, hence, the committee when constituted, will swing into actions with the intervention measures that will help FERMA get more funding to help her achieve her mandate of maintaining Roads for easy and safe use by the public.
Goronyo said; “This will help Mr. President to realize his Renewed Hope Agenda of delivering infrastructures to Nigerians. Well maintained roads have a lot of implications on every one of us, be it healthcare, education, security, employment, economic growth and prosperity”.
The Minister commended the Managing Director of FERMA, Dr. Emeka Agbasi for his focus on delivering he agency’s mandate to Nigerians, describing him as a silent achiever who is working to achieve so much despite the little given to the Agency.
Goronyo also commended the Board members of FERMA and called for continuous support from them to the management to facilitate the realisation of the Agency’s mandate of keeping all federal roads motorable for the benefit of citizens and development of Nigeria’s economy.
He assured that there would be continuous engagement, collaboration and synergy between the Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and other relevant stakeholders for more improvement in the activities of the Agency.
Earlier, the Managing Director of FERMA, Mr. Emeka Agbasi, said the retreat provided an opportunity to develop practical solutions to the challenges facing the Agency in line with the best practices and also to establish clear and measurable goals for the year in line with the Agency’s mandate.
Agbasi noted that the scope of the retreat encapsulated an in-depth look into the 8-point agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adding that understanding the role of the Board and Management of the FERMA towards the actualization of the mandate was essential.
The FERMA chief executive officer assured that he would build solid communications and relationship between the management and Board.
Agbasi appreciated the Minister of State for Works, Muhammad Goronyo and the Permanent Secretary, Mr Adebiyi Olusesan Olufunso, for initiating the retreat to discuss topical issues affecting the Agency and create a compass to continuously improve on FERMA’s performance.
