Abuja – The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has called for the establishment of a Federal Road Authority, empowered with dedicated fund for effective maintenance of roads in the country.

The society made the recommendation in a communiqué it issued in Abuja on Sunday, after its International Engineering Conference and Annual General Meeting, held in Calabar.

The communiqué was signed by the society’s Executive Secretary, Mr Ahmed Amshi.

The society also recommended that similar structure should be established in every state to enhance the quality of road network in the grassroots.

“A focused use of revenue accruing from road transport-related transactions such as vehicle roadworthiness certification, driver and vehicle licencing, tolling and fuel tax should form adequate sources of funding.

“Road development should be carried out through the full process within a framework of adequate conceptualisation, feasibility studies, planning, engineering design, procurement, construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance.

“Road accidents can be reduced with proper education of drivers and control of the issuance of driver licences through properly structured and verifiable certification systems,’’ the communiqué said.

It noted that modern maintenance management approach should be deployed in the maintenance of the roads to reduce the gap between ideal and real time maintenance procedures

The society said that Nigerian roads should be designed to be bicycle and pedestrian user-friendly and that they should be made to open up the rural network of roads.

It said that government should intensify efforts at developing and sustaining ship building and completing the ongoing dredging of inland waterways.

“Where applicable, water transportation should be developed to support the road system which is currently overloaded.

“There is need for continuous review of codes and standards for road construction, specification of materials and supervision of roads.

“The government should partner with the NSE on the development of road maintenance structures,’’ it said. (NAN)