SENATE SLAMS FERMA, SAYS AGENCY LACKS CAPACITY FOR ROAD MANAGEMENT

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The Senate on Wednesday decried the deplorable state of roads across the country, saying that the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency lacks the capacity to handle the task of road management.

The Senate also canvassed the need to invite private investors in road infrastructure through the concession of some federal highways.

A bill by the member of the Senate representing Kano South Senatorial District, Senator Kabiru Gaya, which is seeking to repeal the Act establishing FERMA in favour of the Federal Roads Authority, passed the second reading on Wednesday.

The lawmaker said the bill, which was read for the first time on the floor of the Senate on March 16, 2016, would make the FRA a semi-autonomous road agency, which would be responsible for “the professional management of federal roads, including planning, design, construction, rehabilitation and maintenance, thereby ending the duplication of functions between FERMA and the Highways Department of the Ministry of Works.”

While supporting the bill, the lawmaker representing Niger North, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, said the bill was aimed at strengthening the existing institutional framework so that there would be an element of prevention in the damage to roads.

 

Source: Punchng.com

 

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