By Peter Usman
Managing Director/CEO, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, Engr. Nuruddeen Rafindadi, has said that aside the 88 road projects earlier reported, the Agency has completed additional 212 capital projects and over 100 Direct Labour works that are within FERMA scope of work nationwide.
An official statement by the Agency in Abuja quotes the Managing Director as saying that the achievements recorded so far during the year. include the rehabilitation of Bambal – Buzawa road, along Kiyawa – Jama’are federal road, Bauchi State, where patching of Potholes and laying of Asphalt was done.
In what looks like reviewing the activities of the Agency so far, the MD said another general maintenance work completed was the Kari – Yobe State border road.
He stated that Ganjuwa – Gubi Road to Wussarawa road also enjoyed rehabilitation works which include scarification, provision of stone-base, asphaltic overlay and construction of culvert.
Rafindadi also said that the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency recently disilted drainages on some Federal Roads in Edo State, and carried out repairs on some bridges and failed portions of roads in the state, including the Benin bypass and Ugonoba bridge amongst others.
He however said work on the failed carriageway at Ogheghe junction along Benin – Warri dual carriageway was ongoing.
The MD stated that other works that has been completed includes but not limited to site clearance, laterite work on shoulders, boulder placement on carriageway and cement stabilization of challenging sections, repairs of failed carriageway sections and pothole patching on Ogheghe junction along Benin – Warri dual carriageway, Benin Township along Benin – Asaba dual carriageway, and Oluke – Sobe-Fon Ondo State Border road, Edo State.
In Plateau State, Rafindadi also said that potholes along Jos – Gimi – Fadan Kashi roads and the Jos – Makurdi road were also patched and that other roads in Ilesha, Osun State were also affected by the General Maintenance and intervention by FERMA.
In the North Central, the Managing Director said, direct labour works was carried out and was 100% completed along Abuja – Keffi road and Gwagwalada road, involving patching of potholes, disilting of drains, reinstatement and embankment washout
In South West, Road construction of Hydraulic structures, routine disilting of open covered drain, washout and repairs, palliative work and patching of potholes were done in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States respectively, says the FERMA boss.
Some other completed projects in the South West include maintenance works on the Lagos – Badagry expressway stretching to Agbara – Atan, Olosha Bustop along Western Avenue – Agege Motor Road, Gbongan – Iwo – Oyo State Border road, Abeokuta Bakatari Road in Ogun State, Odo Oba along Oyo – Ogbomosho old Road, and Ibadan – Idi Ayunre Mamu road.
Also, in the North East, construction of reinforced concrete line drain along Kurba Gayiwuyo road in Borno State ,patching of potholes along Maiduguri – Jos road in Borno State (Sections I & II), construction of two cells reinforced concrete Box Culvert and Washout repairs along UBA – Askirambalala road in Borno State, special repairs of Gumel – Maigatari – Niger Republic road Jigawa State, disilting works on culvert/line drains and vegetation control along Kano State Border – Birnin Kudu – Bauchi State Border, Jigawa State have been completed 100%.
In North West, Engineer Nuredeen stated that reconstruction of failed section of Box Culvert, Abuja Bound along Kaduna – Abuja dual carriageway, Kaduna State, reinstatement of collapsed portion of single and multiple Cell Pipe Culvert along Kaduna – Birningwari – Niger State Border Road in Kaduna State, Emergency repairs of collapsed 2-cell culvert and reinstatement of embankment washout along Kachia – Kwoi (Niger State) border road, Kaduna State, Repair of critical failure along Kaduna – Abuja – Niger State (Abuja Bounds were done.
Others were the repair of critical failure along Kaduna – Abuja – Niger State Border dual carriageway (Kaduna Bound) in Kaduna State, vegetation/silt control of Kaduna – Abuja dual carriageway (Section I-V), as well as Vegetation/Silt control of Kaduna – Birnin Gwari dual carriageway (Section II) in Kaduna State, have been completed.
Still in FERMA resolve to reach to all roads within its scope of work nationwide, FERMA has completed the reconstruction of failed sections, vegetation control, reinstatement of fail portion, reinforcement in concrete stone base on carriageway, Asphalt repairs and cutting of potholes to regular shapes, disilting of line drains on roads in Kano and Kebbi states
Responding to why FERMA is not rehabilitating Agbor – Amukpe road in Delta State, he said FERMA cannot carry out any rehabilitation work on roads where there is an ongoing contract.
On Ondo – Ore road, the MD said contract on the road is being supervised by Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and so the Agency might not be able to intervene there.
As regards to Ukpagada – Ogoja road in Cross River State, the MD explains that the mandate of FERMA is for Federal Roads and that FERMA can only intervene on State and Local Government roads when such roads are appropriated for under the constituency projects.
On roads in Nnewi in Anambra State, the Managing Director said that the Agency has four road works proposed to be done in the 2018 capital appropriation around Nnewi including Oba – Nnewi – Okija road and they have been advertised for tendering.