Author: ferma

Consequent upon the outbreak of COVID-19 Pandemic early this year and the need to revamp economic activities which went to it lowest ebb, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has opened its financial bids for the Emergency Maintenance and Repairs of some federal roads nationwide under FERMA’s 2020 COVID -19 intervention programme on Tuesday, 3rd November, 2020 at A-Class Park, Abuja.

The Director, Procurement, Engr. (Mrs.) B.A Ilemore representing the Managing Director, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA Engr. Nuruddeen .A. Rafindadi FNSE, said the Agency sought and obtained from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) a due process ‘No objection’ to adopt restricted tendering method for the procurement of the Emergency Maintenance and Repairs of some federal roads captured under the Agency’s 2020 Appropriation Act (Amendment) tagged COVID -19 intervention programmes.

Ilemore while declaring the bids open assured the prospective bidders that the submitted bids would be accorded the due consideration based on merit and in accordance with the provisions of Public Procurement Act (2007). She said “Transparency, competitiveness and fairness would be our watchword in the financial evaluation and award procedures”.

Representatives from Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Cornerstone Liberty & Love Foundation (CLF) and Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Abuja branch were also present to observe the bid opening exercise.

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) have entered into partnership with the aim of resolving the problems of housing and road maintenance which has consistently given Nigerians, and especially the civil servants cause for concern.

This collaboration was cemented today when the Managing Director of Federal Housing Authority, Senator Gbenga B. Ashafa and his Executive Director (Business Development), Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin paid a courtesy visit to the MD, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency at its Abuja Headquarters.

The Managing Director, FERMA, Engr. Nuruddeen A. Rafindadi, FNSE, FAEng, said the partnership of FERMA and FHA is a force to reckon with because of the personalities involved, and the spread of both organizations which cut across all the States of the Federation. He said the partnership will form a backbone upon which housing and roads maintenance will be further developed.   

Rafindadi said one of his major concern since he took over the headship of FERMA has been the condition of service of the staff, he said, ‘’Since I came to FERMA, one of the main problem that has given me concern is the condition of service of staff, the pay is low, the housing allowance is low, and there is no access to affordable housing as much as one expects’’

The MD further stated that with this partnership, FERMA can help FHA to solve the problem of access roads to their Estates, while FHA addresses the housing problems of the staff of the Agency. He immediately constituted a technical committee to work out modalities to achieving success with the partnership.  He added that the partnership will be effective as both FERMA and FHA are both Parastatals under the  Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, where the Minister is keen on delivering on the President’s resolve to solving the Nigeria housing deficit.

Speaking earlier, the MD, FHA, Senator Gbenga B. Ashafa, said he is happy collaborating with FERMA as the partnership will serve as a model to other Agencies. He said, FERMA can compete with any construction company that deliver infrastructure in terms of roads. He also said that with the array of professionals in FERMA the problem of access roads to FHA Estates will be solved.

Senator Ashafa pledged total commitment to the partnership with FERMA.

Commenting, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, added that FHA believes in the partnership, saying FHA has professionals that will be able to work harmoniously with those of FERMA to achieve the set goals of this partnership.

Engr. Silas Abdullahi Buba, the Executive Director East Operations and Board member representing North Central Zone, in his own comment appreciated the FHA MD and his team for identifying FERMA as a worthy partner.

The Managing Director, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Nuruddeen A. Rafindadi, FNSE has said that FERMA will ensure total compliance to SERVICOM principles and directives in the implementation of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) 2nd National Action Plan (NAPII), promising that the Agency shall always provide adequate information to all customers, both internal and external on the processes for seeking redress in case they are not satisfied or have concerns on services received.

Read More

The Chairman Senate Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Senator Gershom Bassey, has said that the implementation of 2019 budget releases was very impressive. He said this on Tuesday 10th March, 2020 during an oversight visit to FERMA by the Senate Committee on FERMA to ascertain the level of implementation of the budget releases for 2019.

Responding to questions from the press, the chairman said the purpose of their visit was to ascertain and ensure that the funds that were appropriated and released to FERMA in 2019 were appropriately utilized.

Senator Gershom said from their discovery, FERMA has completed most of it projects that were budgeted for in 2019 up to 98%, this he said was very impressive. He said, ‘’FERMA has done well in terms of completion of projects, they have utilized about 90% of the release for 2019, completed 98% of the projects. This is very good for any organization, this is a high rate performance’’.

The Chairman however said the Committee was not satisfied with the funding of FERMA, saying that the Agency should get much more than it gets presently. He said, ‘’the budget should be much larger, this is an Agency that affects every single life in Nigeria. Road is the artery in which we live and breathe in Nigeria, we transport basically everything by road, we don’t have any other infrastructure as it is, the upkeep of these roads is key to us, if we give FERMA more funds, even one trillion naira, it is not too much to maintain our roads’’.

He further decried the non-implementation of laws that were enacted in 2007, for example the non-implementation of the 5% user charge to fund road projects and the vehicle tax. He said the National Assembly is investigating this non-implementation and that report will soon be out.

On his part, the Managing Director, FERMA, Engr. Nuruddeen A. Rafindadi, FNSE, while appreciating the Senate Committee on the support so far from them said that FERMA can improve on the backlog of maintenance of Federal roads across the country if there is an increase in the releases of monies appropriated to the Agency.

He said, ideally the Agency would require N125 billion every year to maintain federal roads across the nation. ‘’If you consider the asset value of our roads and bridges across the country, that is a modest sum to preserve the value of our national asset’’.

Rafindadi also said that the Agency had a target of intervening in about 3,500km federal roads in 2019, this was later increased to 5,000km, and that the Agency was able to meet the target which was presented and stated by the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing at the FEC meeting on the Ministerial report.

The Managing Director concluded by assuring Nigerians that the Agency under his watch will do all it can to put smiles on the faces of the people by making sure roads are put in motorable and safe state this year as it has always done.

The Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, has applauded Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for the wonderful maintenance works it has done and still doing in Nasarawa State.

Read More

African Development Bank (AfDB), through its transport sector identification mission, seeks to assist the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) with loan facility to address the funding gap in the road repair efforts of the Agency. This was disclosed yesterday when a delegation led by Dr. Abayomi Babalola a transport Specialists/Consultant to the Bank visited the Agency in Abuja.

According to Dr. Babalola, the Bank has set aside a total amount of Ten Billion US Dollars ($10,000,000,000.00 ) for the Nigerian Infrastructure Development. The loan will be disbursed to different sectors of the economy for a period of 10 years. He however observed that the transport sector had not received much desired intervention from the bank. He informed the management of FERMA that his team was at the Agency on a transport sector identification mission, which consists of identifying road projects in Nigeria that can be funded through a well monitored project circle. According to him, the projects would be of national priority and devoid of political encumbrances. He requested the Agency to forward needs and projects that meet these criteria, which will eventually be funded by the Bank.

In his response, the Managing Director FERMA, Engr. Nuruddeen A. Rafindadi (FNSE), thanked AfDB for the good gesture, he however bemoaned the poor state of Roads as a result of poor funding. According to him Budgetary Allocation has been grossly inadequate to fund road repair works; Government is looking at other options of funding Road Projects. Engr. Nuruddeen Rafindadi said, when the Ministry of Finance approves the loan arrangement, AfDB should be assured of good execution of the job. Some of the Roads that would benefit from this may not be viable for Privatization, because of low traffic density, but they are important due to their connection to rural areas with heavy Agricultural activities.

The Managing Director of FERMA, assured his guests of a robust Partnership between FERMA and AfDB in the quest of making Nigerian Roads motorable all year round. Other interventions by the bank on road sector include construction of Nigeria-Cameroon Highway and Ebonyi State ring road Projects.

The Managing Director, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Nuruddeen A. Rafindadi (FNSE), has assured the Government and people of Bauchi State of the determination of the Agency to give special attention to the rehabilitation and maintenance of federal roads in Bauchi State, being the gateway of North Eastern States. And to also assist the Governor in his efforts towards the establishment of Bauchi State Road Maintenance Agency.

The MD made this statement when the Governor of Bauchi State, His Excellency, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed and his team called on him in his office, Tuesday, 11th February, 2020 at the Agency Headquarters, Abuja.

Rafindadi however lamented the paucity of funds as a factor limiting the concerted effort the Agency is making to make federal roads safe and motorable across the nation.

He commended the Governor for his leadership style and for recognizing the giant strides FERMA is recording in Bauchi State, adding that he was humbled by the coming of the Governor and for the excellent remarks made concerning the Agency.

Earlier, The Governor of Bauchi, Sen. Mohammed in his address commended FERMA for the works done so far in Bauchi, saying that there have been improvement on the road sector, both in terms of maintenance and rehabilitation since the Managing Director assumed office.  He added that “I can say without fear of contradiction that there have been very impressive improvement in the maintenance of roads in the State.”

Mohammed further said that “The State will not be ungrateful to FERMA as they have benefitted maximally from the tremendous work FERMA is doing on the federal roads that traverses the State.”

The Governor added that there were however some challenges which abound in the State because of the inflow of people from the neighbouring States as a result of its peaceful nature. The neighbouring states have in recent years been bedeviled by the activities of Boko Haram and other terrorist activities.

This he said, has overwhelmed and overstretched the usage of the road corridors and other social services, which in turn causes a lot of hazards on the roads.

He further highlighted Bauchi-Gombe-Alkaleri roads as areas of concern as the Bauchi section of it has not been rehabilitated as against that of other sections of the road. Other sections he pointed out, which are also of   concern are the Kari-Misau-Yana-Kwanan Huguma road and Yashi-Duguri road.

The Governor crave the indulgence of the Agency to help rehabilitate these roads to ease the difficulty the road users encounter on daily basis. He said, “we are pleading with you to come to our aid,  the roads have definitely failed, but even if it has failed, we have to go along with your mandate to maintain it in such a manner that it will be motorable, until the Federal Government gets fund to completely rehabilitate the roads”.

In his conclusion, the Governor said the State was ready to partner FERMA to tap from the vast knowledge and experience as master of road sector to enable the State to perform well as they intend to establish a State own Road Maintenance Agency.

The Managing Director, United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), Prof. Chidi Onyia, led a team of representatives of the organization on a courtesy visit to Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), recently to seek for technical partnership with FERMA.

Prof. Chidi, in his introductory remarks, said the objectives of the programme includes; funding Federal road network with the hope of promoting economic growth, support initiatives that help to improve condition of Federal road Network and to provide network condition supporting economic growth. Prof. Chidi said the programme is demand driven and so, requires full compliance of the Agency in areas of close working relationship, technical demands and signed agreement which helps conduct the activities. The support programme, Onyia added, is for four years with possibility of two years extension in order to meet its set target.

The Lead, Road component, Mr. Bill Mcmahon while speaking, said the key areas of support by the UKNIAF are road sector reform (Road Authority & Road Fund), Predictable and sustainable funding for rehabilitation and Maintenance, Road Asset Management System RAMS (Improved decision making for road investments, evidence based prioritized best value for money) and project delivery (review current procedures, identify obstacles to effective delivery, update procedures, reduce delays and cost over runs.

He stressed that the overall potential outcome of these key support areas will increase quality of travel time via roads, reduce maintenance and fuel, improve journey reliability, reduce travel cost, improve national and regional economic growth and increase trade and agricultural exports.

In his response, the Managing Director, FERMA, Engr. Nuruddeen A. Rafindadi, FNSE, said the Agency is open to partnering with UKNIAF for technical support which will tremendously aid in project delivery.

The MD added that FERMA and Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (NIAF) have formed a strong partnership in the past which include technical support in the use of evidence based planning for road maintenance investment centered on robust data collection regimes. He further said that with the partnership with NIAF, the framework for demand led technical support to FERMA under the current UKNIAF programme has been finalized.

UKNIAF also sought to understand FERMA’s information and data needs to enable it take a holistic approach that would be beneficial to all.

UKNIAF is a Department for Internal Development (DFID) funded technical assistance programme designed to support Nigeria’s infrastructure development with special focus on power, roads, capital budgeting, public partnership infrastructure financing and infrastructure rehabilitation in the North East region. The aim of the program is in two fold, to improve institutional management and decision making process regarding social and economic infrastructures, to enhance the institutional environment and structures supporting the raising and allocation of public private partnership finance.

Present at the presentation meeting were the Executive Directors/Board Members and some FERMA management staff.

The Managing Director of FERMA, Engr. Nuruddeen A. Rafindadi, FNSE, has received a patriotic Star Award, ‘’Social Service Icon of the year 2019’’. The award which was presented to him today the 21^st of January, 2020 by TheNigerian News, is in recognition of his excellent stewardship and great leadership in the intervention and maintenance of Federal roads across the nation, which has drastically given succor to users of the roads and reduce the activities of robbers and other security vices on the roads.

The Managing Director, Rafindadi on receiving the award appreciated TheNigerian News team for a job well done, and also thanked the President for the honour to serve this great country.

 At the Awards and Honour presentation during a courtesy visit to FERMA Managing Director, the Managing Director of TheNigerian News, Engr. David Onmeje said, “This prestigious award is in honour of your transcendent leadership in responding to call for intervention on road repairs and maintenance across the country which has endeared you to the entire nation”; he added that the award was also to appreciate Nigerians that have shown themselves friends to humanity and share Mr. President’s vision for a corrupt free and effective nation.

TheNigerian News platform comprises of a TV House; Television Nigerian and an online news portal with a soon to be launched online radio station. The platform was launched by a group of patriotic Nigerians based in United Kingdom to project the country in good light and tell the Nigerian stories in the Nigerian way.

The 3^rd anniversary held in Nigeria on 30^th December, 2019 at NAF conference centre, Abuja, with the highpoint being a book presentation titled “integrity vs power play: Understanding the Buhari phenomenon” by Philip Agbese.