Motorists Hail Planned Scrapping Of FERMA

Stakeholders in Port Harcourt
have lauded the planned scrapping of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) by the federal government.
Those who spoke with The Tide in reaction to the decision by the federal government decried the lacklustre performance of FERMA institutional duties.
A motorist Akanimo Udosen, Commended the federal government for the move, and noted that FERMA had not justified its existence as an agency saddled with the maintenance of federal roads, which are mostly in a terrible state of disrepair.
He said the scrapping of FERMA will make the supervisory ministry, to directly monitor road construction and maintenance projects. Another motorist, Eguma Sunday also hailed the federal government’s decision, and urged the government to create alternative measures of fixing our roads for better use.
He said FERMA had become more or less a means of divert government fund, as they are not doing enough to justify the allocations they receive.
Executive Director of Niger Delta Coalition Against Violence (NDCAV), Mr Lekia Christian also berated FERMA over the deplorable state of the east west road among other major roads in the country.
He said the scrapping of the Agency will enable the federal government to plough back money accruing to FERMA towards other development needs.
An Engineer, Mr Festor Tor, who commented on the issue, said the objective of setting up FERMA had been defeated, as most roads under their jurisdiction are completely unattended to, leading to accidents on our highway.
He called on government to adopt a more proactive measure towards addressing issues of effective road network to “stop canals on our roads and ease transportation in the country”.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Works, Mike Omelemenem recently announced the decision of the federal government to scrap the Federal Road Maintenance Agency FERMA, and its function taken over by a department in the ministry.

Taneh Beemene