Members of the House of Representatives (MoP) on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the failure of Federal Government to cash-back the N10 billion approved for road maintenance.
The lawmakers during an interactive session with management team of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) expressed concerns over the dilapidated federal roads across including Akure-Akungba, Enugu-Onitsha, Lagos-Sango Otta, Benin-Agbor, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressway which they described as death traps.
Jerry Alagbaso, chairman, House Committee on FERMA who presided over the session, disclosed that the money was approved in the second week of October 2016.
The lawmakers who queried the lopsidedness in the list of federal roads to be maintained by the agency, also frowned at the removal of Lagos-Sango Otta road project from the 2016 budget.
Alagbaso who frowned at the complacency of the FERMA management team towards fixing the collapsed roads which claimed lives of thousands of Nigerians, said: “the spirit of those who died on those roads will continue to roving around FERMA.”
The lawmakers also frowned at the failure of FERMA to submit relevant documents requested by the sub-Committee set up to audit the activities of the agency at the last interactive session.
The Committee after an executive session, directed the agency to process the N10 billion and commence maintenance work of all Federal roads before the Yuletide celebration.
While speaking on the resolution of the Committee on the alleged unilateral appointment of directors, Alagbaso explained that all the affected personnel have been directed to regularise their appointment without further delay to avoid being stripped of their portfolios.
Speaking earlier, Peter Ibu, acting FERMA Managing Director argued that the agency was incapacitated by lack of funding, though admitted that fund was released in October 2016.
He also disclosed that the agency was directed not to award any contract, adding that “we have been advised not to spend it until we get further clearance.”
Ibu explained that the agency could not award the contract in line with the ‘no cash, no contract,’ policy, stresimg that violation of that Public Procurement Act could lead any public officer to jail.
While responding, some of the Directors and Engineers in charges of states and zones, blamed the inactivity of the agency on paucity of funds and bureaucratic bottlenecks in the contract procurement process.
On his part, Taiwo Koya, Executive Director East, who denied alleged sabotage by the agency, explained that the agency embarked on thorough procurement process in the history of the agency.
Also speaking, Richard Ohre, Deputy Director in charge of South South 2 and Direct Labour disclosed that about N4 million was released for the cold asphalt project so far for the implementation of the project.
He however noted that the sum of N3 million was released to the each state of the federation as at March 2016, after which no fund was released for their operations.
Ohre who called for the award of contract for the rehabilitation and maintenance of major portions of the Federal roads, argued that direct Labour cannot address the challenges bedevilling federal roads.
He added that the issue of Treasury Single Account (TSA) and procurement challenges have been resolved as each state has set up sub-TSA account to enable them access fund.
Another Director explained that non-release of fund to the agency after the conclusion of the 2014 general elections contributed to the collapse of Federal roads across the country.
