By Mercy Aikoye
The Minister of State for Works, Bar. Bello Goronyo, has attributed the poor performance of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to inadequate annual budgetary allocations. Speaking at a public hearing in Abuja, the minister highlighted that FERMA requires an estimated 880 billion naira annually for optimal road conditions. However, the budgetary allocations have consistently fallen short, with N76.3 billion allocated in 2023, N103.3 billion in 2024, and N168.9 billion budgeted for 2025.
Despite the gradual increases in budgetary allocations, the minister emphasized that these figures remain far below the necessary threshold for sustainable road maintenance. He noted that the 5% user charge, as stipulated in the FERMA Act, was designed to serve as a sustainable funding mechanism for road maintenance and rehabilitation. Unfortunately, FERMA has grappled with severe funding inadequacies, hindering its ability to maintain the vast road network effectively.
The minister explained that the persistent funding gap has forced FERMA into a reactive mode of maintenance rather than a preventive approach. This has resulted in the agency’s poor performance in maintaining the country’s roads. The minister’s remarks were made during the public hearing of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the remittance and implementation of the 5% user charge on petroleum products to FERMA.
The investigation was prompted by allegations of noncompliance with the law by relevant stakeholders. The House of Representatives had passed a resolution on March 19, 2025, directing the committee to investigate the matter. The committee’s chairman, Hon. Francis Waive, assured that the panel would thoroughly scrutinize the actions of all relevant institutions involved in the alleged violation of the FERMA Act.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, charged the committee to be diligent in their investigation. He emphasized that the committee’s assignment was clear: to establish how much has accrued from the collection of the 5% user charge from the date of commencement of the law till the time of the investigation and how much is standing to the benefit of FERMA and similar agencies at the state level.
The committee’s investigation aims to uncover the truth behind the alleged noncompliance with the FERMA Act and to ensure that any misused funds are recovered. The chairman of the committee assured that the panel would leave no stone unturned in their scrutiny of the relevant institutions involved.
The investigation is expected to shed light on the funding of FERMA and the implementation of the 5% user charge on petroleum products. It remains to be seen what the committee’s findings will reveal and what actions will be taken to address the funding inadequacies and poor performance of FERMA.
