FERMA plans better road provision for yuletide season

[FMINigeria]

The Managing Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Gabriel Amuchi has recently announced the agency's embarkation on a nationwide maintenance towards providing better roads for users ahead of the coming yuletide season.

The disclosure was made as part of a media briefing to round off a 3-day Operational Strategy/Capacity Building Workshop for the Agency's Zonal Coordinators and Federal Roads Maintenance Engineers in Abuja ahead of the commencement of massive road maintenance works during the coming dry season.

According to Gabriel Amuchi, the checklist for achieving the objectives jointly fashioned out by management and participants at the workshop includes the need to adopt pro-active measures for ensuring the maintenance of roads which are currently in good condition to make them free of potholes; working hard to upgrade those in poorer conditions as well as providing monthly logistics and other support to field offices under the SURE-P FERMA public works scheme to enhance safety and visibility on arterial federal roads through control of vegetation.

He also mentioned that increased tempo on public enlightenment campaigns against road abuse and harmful practices which hamper Nigerian roads such as the dumping of refuse in drains, conduct of street trading on highways, burning of tyres and indiscriminate installation of speed bumps/breakers would ensue.

Speaking further on ways to achieve the objectives of FERMA Management, the Managing Director identified the adoption of a team strategy and effective delegation of responsibility by management to field technical staff as measures which would enable them to respond proactively to emerging challenges within their operational catchment areas. He also said that adherence to time-tested measures for eliminating or reducing maintenance site/workplace hazards and improvement of safety would be executed.

He recalled that the Agency's success in carrying out the 2012 Presidential directive on "Operation Zero-Potholes" won high  accolades last year; noting the need for staff to prepare for the proposed road maintenance operations. The MD further stated that the challenge of succeeding is in sustaining the effort and improving on it.

"The current management inherited terrible challenges on assumption of office in September 2011 which included unfulfilled commitments to contractors on need to maintain federal arterial roads in poor conditions. The strategy and training session was organised to enable management get first-hand information from field engineers and their supervisors to enable them succeed in the task ahead," Amuchi revealed.

He further averred that through a process of routine needs assessments of the various field operations; the Agency has improved on its capacity to deploy equipment and construction materials as well as personnel across the country to ensure seamless operation and better federal road provision in the country.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Executive Director of Administration and Human Resources Development, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo spoke on the need for regular human capacity development in FERMA, stressing that this will enable staff to share technical information and the best practices modalities needed for proactive response to challenges in the field.

Source: FERMA plans better road provision for yuletide season
Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria