The Senate yesterday set up an Ad-hoc Committee to compile a list of bad Federal roads and erosion sites across the country to be forwarded to the Executive Arm of government for urgent intervention.
According to the Red Chamber, the roads consist of those that have been awarded for repairs but abandoned by contractors or have not been awarded at all.
The Red Chamber also charged the Federal Government to consider the option of concessioning by engaging credible construction firms after proper screenings to fix all dilapidated road
It also advised the government to seek alternative funding sources like the Muhammadu Buhari led administration did with SUKUK to enable it to deliver on road infrastructure projects.
These resolutions were sequel to a motion, entitled: “Collapse of road infrastructure in Nigeria” sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau and co-sponsored by other 107 senators during plenary.
Senator Barau, while presenting the motion, lamented that “so many federal roads are in very deplorable conditions that hardly any part of the country can boast of a motorable road.”
He lamented that some of the roads had been awarded for either construction or rehabilitation only to be abandoned by the contractors after moving to the site.
He said: “Collapse of the road infrastructure has virtually cut off many parts of Nigeria, with its attendant negative impact on trade and commerce.
“The collapse has led to a decline in agricultural activities, adversely affecting the movement of agricultural produce from rural areas and across the country, resulting in a slide in the country’s agricultural output and economy, especially now that the country needs to diversify its economy.”
The Deputy Senate President also noted with sadness the “concomitant loss of lives as a result of the bad state of the roads, as evidenced by the chilling statistics reeled out by the Federal Road Safety Corps, which is a price too high and too prohibitive to pay.”
In his contribution, Senator Isah Jibrin (APC – Kogi East), noted with regret that many people died in accidents caused by bad roads while many others have been forced to abandon their homes due to collapse of bridges and drainages.
Senator Idiat Adebule (APC – Lagos West) urged the Federal Government to fast-track the rehabilitation of roads across the country.
She reiterated the deplorable situation of roads nationwide. Senator Adebule hailed the Federal Government for the effective work ongoing on Lagos-Badagry road.
“I want to urge them to fast-track the process so we can complete that road. As for those that are in deplorable situations, we must charge the Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure that those roads are attended to, ” she said.
Other senators, in their contributions, lamented the adverse effects of erosion and other factors on roads in their constituencies and called for urgent rehabilitation and reconstruction, where necessary, to save lives and properties of the people.