Senate urges FG to consider concessions for funding road infrastructure
July 19, 2023
The Senate on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to consider concessions as means of funding road infrastructure across the country.
The Senate also set up an ad hoc committee to come up with a compendium of all the affected federal roads and erosion sites across the country.
The roads are either awarded but abandoned by contractors or have not been awarded at all and to be forwarded to the executive arm for urgent intervention.
The upper chamber’s resolution were sequel to a motion moved by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau during plenary.
The motion was co-sponsored by 107 senators tagged “Collapse of Road Infrastructure in Nigeria”.
He expressed concern over “the near collapse of the entire road infrastructure in Nigeria.”
Barau said that so many federal roads were in very deplorable conditions that hardly any part of the country could boast of motorable roads.
“Some of these federal roads have been awarded for either construction or rehabilitation only to be abandoned by the contractors after moving to site.
“Several trillions of naira have been spent on road construction and rehabilitation in Nigeria since democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999 with minimal impact on our roads.”
The deputy senate president further said that the collapse of the road infrastructure had virtually cut off many parts of the country with its attendant negative impact on trade and commerce.
“The collapse has led to a decline in agricultural activities, adversely affecting the movement of agricultural produce from rural area and across the country.
“This has resulted in a slide in the country’s agricultural output and economy especially now the country needs to diversify its economy.”
Seconding the motion Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon said that the fuel subsidy removal coupled with bad roads would unleash hardship on citizens.
“The reconstruction and mending of the roads will alleviate the suffering of motorists and other commuters.
“When the roads are fixed, it will boost economies of many states. This is because most of these roads aside from transporting food to their various communities, they are used to transport goods and services to various parts of the country.
“The issue of accidents will be curtailed drastically if these roads are fixed and maintained.”
“This administration needs to tackle it urgently. In fact, all over the country you will see road contract awarded but not funded as required.
“It is not a matter of bringing motions and motions everyday. How do we fund road construction and rehabilitation.
“We need to convene a national conference on this and come up with adequate means of funding roads.”
In his remarks, President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio commended the last administration of Muhammadu Buhari for finding alternative means of funding road infrastructure.
He equally urged the current administration to continue in that regard.
“This is because the huge sum required for Infrastructure development in the country including road cannot be done by the Federal Government alone.
“It is important to continue to explore other means of funding,” he said.
Akpabio also announced Sen. Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP-Kebbi) as chairman of the ad hoc committee set up.(NAN