Ahead of the yuletide, the Senate has asked the Federal Government to dedicate part of the Service Wide Vote allocation of N500 Billion to the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for urgent rehabilitation of roads ravaged by the 2022 floods.
This came to the fore following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Gershom Henry Bassey.
While presenting the motion, the lawmaker argued that this year’s floods are the worst that Nigeria has experienced in decades, as the rise in water level is more than the 2012 and 2020 episodes and has further worsened the deplorable state of Nigeria’s federal roads.
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“The justification for the proposed money becomes necessary since some major inter-state roads are impassable as water has washed off most parts of the road and bridges, creating economic and human security crises. Road transportation is the major means of transportation in Nigeria since air transportation and others are not within reach of most Nigerians.
The heavy vehicular and human movement of Nigerians associated with the end-of-year festivities will be impacted negatively as a result of the deplorable roads occasioned by the 2022 road,” Gershom stressed.
The Senate accordingly directed that the Nigeria National Petroleum Limited (NNPCL) Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme should be expanded to cover the maintenance of failed sections of federal roads.
Ojochenemi Onje-James
Ojochenemi Onje-James is a research writer and journalist with years of proven footprints in areas of crime and politics. She has a M.Sc in International Relations and Strategic Studies as well as a B.Sc in Mass Communication.
