The Joint Committee of the National Assembly on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has commended the agency for its prompt and high-quality road maintenance efforts nationwide and called for increased funding to boost its operations.
The praise came during FERMA’s defence of its 2025 budget implementation and presentation of its 2026 budget proposal before the joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on FERMA, Sahabi Ya’u, underscored the critical role of road infrastructure in Nigeria’s economic growth. He described road networks as the backbone of national development, stressing that sustainable infrastructure is vital to achieving a one-trillion-dollar economy.
“Roads connect rural agricultural producers to urban markets. When they deteriorate, food inflation rises and the misery index worsens,” Ya’u said. “Strategic road maintenance is a social investment in security, employment, and economic stability.”
Similarly, Chairman of the House Committee on FERMA, Aremi Oseni, applauded the agency for the quality of work observed during oversight visits.
Ya’u also assured FERMA of continued legislative collaboration to secure improved funding and enhance the maintenance of federal roads across the country.
Earlier, presenting the 2026 proposal, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, disclosed that the proposed budget stands at ₦229.99 billion.
According to Goronyo, ₦191.47 billion has been allocated for capital expenditure, including the rollover of 70 per cent of ongoing 2025 capital projects into 2026. He revealed that 336 projects—comprising 291 road projects and 75 non-road projects such as streetlights and related infrastructure—have been carried forward.
He added that ₦91.47 billion, representing 70 per cent funding for these projects, has been incorporated into the 2026 fiscal plan, with projects distributed across all states to ensure equitable infrastructure development.
The minister further stated that personnel costs are projected at ₦5.06 billion, while overhead expenditure is estimated at ₦33.47 billion.
Goronyo affirmed that FERMA has the technical capacity to fulfil its mandate but cited inadequate funding as its primary challenge. He also emphasised the need to align the budget cycle with procurement processes to enable contractors maximise the dry season for timely project execution.
Appealing for sustained legislative backing, he noted that the repeal of the five per cent user charge on petrol and diesel under the 2017 FERMA Amendment Act has been replaced with a five per cent fossil fuel surcharge under Section 159 of the 2025 National Tax Act. He expressed optimism that FERMA would be included in the revenue distribution framework under the new tax regime.