FERMA ‘lI Spend N60bn on Road Construction Nationwide, Says Lawmaker

By Victor Ogunje

The Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Hon. Femi Bamisile, has disclosed that federal government has approved N60 billion for rehabilitation roads across the nation during the next dry season.

Bamisile, who is the lawmaker representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency II, also explained that President Muhammadu Buhari did not approve the hike in petrol prices to inflict pains on Nigerians.

He said: “I can assure Nigerians that there will be massive rehabilitation of roads across Nigeria soon. A sum of N60 billion has been earmarked by FERMA for the project.

“It is N10 billion per geopolitical zone. Over N2 billion is to be spent on roads infrastructure in Ekiti alone. I want to assure our people that they will experience total transformation of all roads across the country.”

Bamisile stated that eight federal roads out of the 12 in Ekiti are currently being rehabilitated by FERMA and the Federal Ministry of Works.

“The Ifaki -Oye-Omuo, Ado- Ikere- Akure roads, which is to be dualised are part of them. In the case of Ado-Ikere-Akure road, the FERMA will spend N280 million to do the resurfacing before being dualised properly.”

He, however, charged the federal government to roll out stimulus and palliative packages to cushion the effects of the tariff hikes on Nigerians, whom he said have not fully recovered from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic disease.

Bamisile said: “Though difficult, but government knew why it took the action. Nigeria will get better if you pay more for petrol without scarcity and more tariffs with improved electricity supply. But stimulus packages must be rolled out to cushion the effects.”

The parliamentarian revealed that a sum of N700 million would be expended on solar power in his federal constituency to boost power supply in the area and improve commercial activities .

He spoke yesterday in Omuo Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government, during an empowerment programme he organised for 500 widows to mark his 55th birthday.

The lawmaker also commissioned three ICT and two health centres at Emure and Omuo Ekiti, which were his constituency projects meant to enhance healthcare delivery and education of the youths.

He said: “It is now a global thing. We are looking forward to having a robust digital system that can help our education system. Nobody knew this pandemic will happen. It is now time for us to look deep and think of how to use the ICT to drive our education, create employment, boost business and tackle corruption.”