Consequently, the upper legislative chamber directed its Committee on Works to engage with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) on concessioning and Public Private Partnership (PPP) regarding new methods of funding the federal road projects.
These were sequel to the adoption of the report of the Ad-hoc Committee on Works on the Total Collapse of Federal Roads in Nigeria during its plenary session.
The report, which seeks to rebuild and maintain constantly existing roads, infrastructures and introduce weigh bridges to protect the roads, further aims to discourage overtaking highways that were not constructed for ferrying heavy vehicles and trucks.
It would be recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had, in 2004, ordered that all the toll gates that were erected on the highways across the country be demolished.
But the Red Chamber, however, believes that the revenue collected from the scheme could be channelled into maintaining the federal roads.
Presenting the report of the Committee for consideration, its Chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade, said that the Committee also recommended the rebuilding and constant maintenance of the existing roads infrastructure, as well as introduction of weigh bridges to protect roads.
The panel, which is made up of 15 senators, also recommended investment in rail, air and water ways to act as alternatives to road transport so as to decrease the traffic on the roads for longer lifespan.
Similarly, the panel advocated for concrete roads, instead of laterite roads in some parts of the country, especially in areas that are not suitable for bituminous pavement.
The Gemade-led Committee also observed that the yearly budgetary allocation to the Federal Ministry of Works is not enough to construct major roads to international standard.
While blaming the trend on contractors that compromise standards, the Committee observed with regrets that most of the federal roads cannot stand the test of time because they are below standard.
“There should be proper and adequate planning of roads. The short term approach of yearly budgeting has proved ineffective, this promotes neglect of some of the roads.
“At times, when new government takes over, new programmes will be initiated, and the ongoing projects are abandoned. If there is a policy that promotes long term planning, any government that comes (should) be bound to follow it,” the report read in part.
The Committee expressed dismay that most federal roads were poorly designed, while others were constructed without designs.
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Following the Senate’s resolution, the Committee also visited communities with prevalent gully erosion sites in Abia, Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kogi, Ogun, Ondo and Yobe states.
To checkmate the trend, the panel, therefore, recommended easier access to ecological funds by states of the Federation, review of the existing Land Use Act, as well as improved monitoring and implementation of intervention projects.
Lending his support to the report, the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ibn N’allah, stressed on the toll gates adding that the federal government cannot handle all the roads.
“Even in the international communities they pay toll gates. Let us develop the habit of looking Nigerians in the face and telling them the truth,” he stated.
In his contribution, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who decried the state of roads in Imo State, emphasised the importance of toll gating.
“In my state, they are supposed to declare a state of emergency on the roads in Imo State. Toll gates (are) very important,” Anyanwu said.
A great percentage of the Federal Government roads are in a state of chaos, and have become locations for hoodlums across the country.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, noted that it was still the responsibility of the Committee on Works to further ensure productive actions through oversight.