Jos – The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) says it requires at least N70 billion  to fix the nation’s roads.

Mr Ifeanyi Nweke, FERMA Maintenance Engineer in Plateau,  Jos on Monday said that the nation’s roads were  in bad state and required urgent attention.

“There is so much work to be done, but the funds are lacking,’’ Nweke said, adding  that the N70 billion figure was arrived at after a careful study.

He said that the agency was working hard to ascertain the causes of the failure of the roads so as to minimise the incidence.

“Preliminary findings blame the situation on the quantum of loads that ply the roads on a daily basis.

“Our roads are constructed to carry loads not above 42 tonnes, but the failure of our rail system has given  us no other option,’’  he said.

Other factors responsible for the sad state of the roads, he said, included the fact that the roads were constructed a long time ago.

“They (roads) have been in use for long and need some steady repairs. FERMA wants to provide that,’’ he said.

He canvassed  the re-introduction of weigh bridges on the roads to check  roads users who carry goods beyond their  limit.

The FERMA boss said that the weigh bridges could rake in more funds as revenue would be generated from taxes imposed on vehicles with extra load.

Nweke  stressed the  need  to protect the roads to save undue expenditure incurred on them as funds available were getting leaner. (NAN)