By Favour Nnabugwu

The Federal Government may soon present a Federal Roads Authority Bill to the National Assembly for consideration and passage into law. The Roads Authority which would be a semi-autonomous road agency, would  be responsible for the efficient construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of Federal roads in the country.

Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, an Architect, stated this at a two-day workshop on Road Sector Reform Bill held in Abuja.

“In 1996, when we had  a conference in Abuja, it was decided that African continent should reform the administration of the road sector. One of the cardinal recommendations was that a road authority be created that will oversee road development in African countries, just as we have Port  Authorities all over the continent,” he said.

”But in our usual manner in this country, some interests crept in when we were carrying out our own reform and we just did it half-heartedly and that led to the creation of FERMA. With all intent and purpose, FERMA was like a stop-gap,” he said.

According to the minister the present administration would, through this road reform, prove that it has the political will to do what is right. “Now we have the political will and we want to do what is right,” he said.

On the imperative of FRA bill, Onolememen added that it would provide for a semi-autonomous road agency that would  be responsible for the efficient construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of federal roads and also avail the government with the necessary framework.

The minister said:” The creation of the FRA is in line with international road management practice. The organisation provides advice to the Minister on road transportation and road infrastructure matters.

It is obvious that any country that needs to grow must be responsive to its infrastructural development needs. Nigeria’s intention of being among  the top 20 developed countries by the year 2020 will be a mirage if the infrastructural potentials of the nation are not harnessed, developed and sustained,” he said, adding that road transportation remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 95 percent of cargo and passenger traffic.

”There is therefore the need for a sustainable development and maintenance of our country’s road transportation infrastructure as to provide a safe, reliable and free flowing system for motorists and other road users in order to facilitate economic activities in the country. Best practice around the world indicates that Nigeria cannot overcome its road infrastructure development challenges unless reforms are embarked upon to reposition the road sector and bring it in sync with its peers in the developed and developing nations of the world”.

Also speaking, the Acting Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, explained that the two bills, would among other things, seek a repeal of the FERMA’s Establishment Act No 7 of 2002 and also improve service delivery in the road sector.