A portion of Ore-Benin road in a state of disrepair Photo: NEXT

Rep faults delay in funding road repairs

By Ayodeji Moradeyo

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Chris Berewari yesterday criticised the way funds allocated for the repair of federal roads were hardly released on time for the purpose.

Mr Berewari who led members of the committee for an on-the-spot assessment to some federal roads in Ondo State, also faulted the shoddy manner contractors handle federal roads.

He specifically condemned the state of the Akure-Ilesa road that linked Osun and Ondo States and the Shagamu-Benin expressway, which connects the Western part of the country with the East. He pointed out that out of the N9.7billion earmarked for the rehabilitation of the 76 Ofosu-Ore portion of the Benin-Sagamu Express Road, only N1billion has been released for the project.

According to him, "The N1 billion that was released for this project is not even up to 15 per cent mobilization fee. How do we expect good results in this kind of arrangement?".

Mr. Bewerari added that the House of Representatives would make sure funds are released for the repair of the roads in the state and other Southwest states. He said contrary to the usual practice when all unspent budgetary allocation for a particular year are returned to the treasury, President Umaru Yar'Adua has directed that unspent allocation to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development should no longer be returned but should rather be channelled to the rehabilitation and construction of federal roads, most of which are in a serious state of disrepair.

The Federal lawmaker explained that the directive, which is applicable to only road rehabilitation department of the ministry, would ensure that funds that have been appropriated for projects are rolled over to the budget of the following year until they are completed.

He said the directive had been ratified by the Federal Executive Council.

The Ondo State Commissioner for Works, Yele Omogunwa, who accompanied the committee members on the trip, expressed optimism that the visit of the federal lawmakers would lead to the immediate rehabilitation of the federal roads in the state. He said the state government had committed N118m to the rehabilitation of the Ogbese stretch of the Akure-Owo road which was in terrible conditions.

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Reader Comments (10)

Posted by Mikey on Oct 23 2009

all i can say is wow. How can they be blaming delays in funding for the current state of roads in naija. The monies that finally came what did they use those for?

Posted by TJE on Oct 23 2009

This people (I mean the Minister of work and his cohorts)are blatant liers. Can you Imagime him (The minister) blaming the bad state of our roads to rain fall. please, we want results and not excuses Mr. minister. Be sure of results before you start boasting of largest award of road contracts ever...

Posted by Mikey on Oct 23 2009

The saddest thing is that many of them believe these lies. How can you blame bad roads on rainfall. Does rain not fall in North Carolina?

Posted by APOLLO on Oct 23 2009

why must we allow innocent souls to be wasted on our federal high ways because of non-availability of money where some people are carting away billions of naira everyday from our country to other civilised countries? when they die this money die as well. You need to see Ibadan-ilesha-Akure road. is pure death trap. Who is in love with drinking innocent blood? let this road be repaired before Dec'09 or else people travelling for festival through that road will sleep on the road for weeks without getting to their destinations. Armed robbers will make a feel day during this period.

Posted by Austine Uche Ejeke on Oct 23 2009

It’s very unfortunate as this is a very serious issue. Lots of people die daily as a result of bad road. Others suffer one form of deformity or health related problem or the other. It’s an open secret that travelers spend and upward of 3 to 4 hours on the bad portions of ORE-BNI road on daily basis. Why will money not be released to this work? Even the ones that are released how judicious has it been applied. Its all trash, there is no truth. I wonder the kind of president or other government officials we have in this country who daily see this rot on our roads, year in year out and still do nothing, instead, its the same excuse all the time. May GOD help us all.

Posted by Ogorwin on Oct 23 2009

why dem de make us feel like say we no get sence minister de blame road okay make him build cover for d road. Dem sence de leg before e reach their head e don expire. when time come all of dem go pay for their wrong doin. Wetin de do us sex for nigeria can't we for once do what is right. I de still de look if u relate to dem tell demsay Yawa go soon blow.

Posted by awada ny on Oct 24 2009

These politicians are pulling the rug up from under Nigerians feet, dashing their hopes and inspirations and completely stripping Nigerians of human dignity. If there was an award for the excuses that these leaders and the people they lead give, they would win a Nobel prize for excuses. These politicians are not invisible, guys! They live among you and they are flaunting their stolen riches at you. Then out of fear or pure ignorance, maybe both, you are rewarding their bad behaviors with respect and admiration. You are as guilty as them. The only sensible logic behind the reasons why ordinary citizens are not taking decisive and appropriate action against these thieves is because the common nigerian citizen hopes and prays that they, too (or their friends or relatives) can obtain a position of leadership in the country so that they can also steal and rob Nigeria blind. If this is not the case, how can (or if) somebody steal your car then turn around and offer you a ride - in your own fucking car! Would you accept the offer and after the ride thank him or her for the ride? I don't think so! A normal action would be the opposite. First of all, you see and identify your stolen vehicle, you then shout to the person inside the car, "Thief, that is my car, what are you doing in my car? Thief, thief, thief!!" You'll shout louder so that people can hear you and help you to recover your car. While you're shouting out for help, if the thief tries to get away - which they'll normally do - you will not hesitate to use self help. Any means necessary to repossess your car, including but not limited to violence. You would be justified if you had killed this car thief to recover a car that rightfully belonged to you. Today the whole world envies and admires China? All Nigerian politicians would be executed-in China-for what they are doing to the country. Nigeria's money belongs to all Nigerians, so anybody who steals from the state or national treasuries are stealing from you, your money. The question is what are you going to do about it? Please let me know when the revolution begins. Good luck Nigerians.

Posted by awada ny on Oct 24 2009

These politicians are pulling the rug up from under Nigerians feet, dashing their hopes and inspirations and completely stripping Nigerians of human dignity. If there was an award for the excuses that these leaders and the people they lead give, they would win a Nobel prize for excuses. These politicians are not invisible, guys! They live among you and they are flaunting their stolen riches at you. Then out of fear or pure ignorance, maybe both, you are rewarding their bad behaviors with respect and admiration. You are as guilty as them. The only sensible logic behind the reasons why ordinary citizens are not taking decisive and appropriate action against these thieves is because the common nigerian citizen hopes and prays that they, too (or their friends or relatives) can obtain a position of leadership in the country so that they can also steal and rob Nigeria blind. If this is not the case, how can (or if) somebody steal your car then turn around and offer you a ride - in your own fucking car! Would you accept the offer and after the ride thank him or her for the ride? I don't think so! A normal action would be the opposite. First of all, you see and identify your stolen vehicle, you then shout to the person inside the car, "Thief, that is my car, what are you doing in my car? Thief, thief, thief!!" You'll shout louder so that people can hear you and help you to recover your car. While you're shouting out for help, if the thief tries to get away - which they'll normally do - you will not hesitate to use self help. Any means necessary to repossess your car, including but not limited to violence. You would be justified if you had killed this car thief to recover a car that rightfully belonged to you. Today the whole world envies and admires China? All Nigerian politicians would be executed-in China-for what they are doing to the country. Nigeria's money belongs to all Nigerians, so anybody who steals from the state or national treasuries are stealing from you, your money. The question is what are you going to do about it? To have a bad road in Nigeria, is an abomination, as Nigeria claim to possessed the second largest bitumen (the real material use to tarred road with) in the world, how about that fools!!. Please let me know when the revolution begins. Good luck Nigerians.

Posted by TATA on Oct 24 2009

@ mikey ...u never pack? no carry yeye motor go home..reinforce the shock absorber...

Posted by TATA on Oct 24 2009

did you notice the laterite foundation and the depth / density of the tar coating on the road?...tell them the laterite has to be mixed with cement to form a more solid foundation and the tar coating / chippings must be at least 6 inches thick if they want to avoid rain wahala...and please i no be engineer