Senate Urges FG To Prioritise Abandoned Road Projects
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to prioritise the completion of abandoned and ongoing road projects across the country before awarding new contracts, citing inadequate funding and prolonged neglect as major factors behind the deteriorating condition of roads nationwide.
The lawmakers, however, called for exceptions in cases where new roads are urgently needed to reconnect communities cut off by floods or provide access to underserved areas.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Tony Nwoye on the deplorable condition of the Ogbaru-Ndoni-Rivers Federal Highway, which connects communities in Anambra State to Ndoni in Rivers State.
The Senate urged the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), the South-East Development Commission or the Federal Ministry of Works to undertake emergency repairs on damaged sections of the highway pending comprehensive rehabilitation.
It also called on the Ministry of Works to commence full reconstruction of the Ogbaru-Iyiowa-Odekpe-Atani-Ogwuikpele-Ndoni highway through a special intervention programme or other appropriate funding arrangements.
Additionally, the Senate directed its Committee on Works to inspect the road, engage relevant stakeholders and submit a report within four weeks. The committees on Works and Appropriations were also mandated to ensure adequate funding for the project.
Presenting the motion, Nwoye said the highway had suffered decades of neglect despite being partially constructed in the late 1980s.
The lawmakers noted that extensive potholes, pavement failures and erosion had rendered the road increasingly dangerous for motorists and other road users.
According to the Senate, a journey of about 70 kilometres from Onitsha through Ogbaru to Ndoni, which ordinarily takes approximately one hour, now takes nearly two hours because of the road’s deteriorated condition.
The chamber warned that the poor state of the highway had increased transportation costs, caused frequent vehicle breakdowns, disrupted commercial activities and exposed commuters to accidents and security threats.
It further cautioned that continued neglect could undermine interstate trade, agricultural activities, regional integration and oil exploration and production along the Ogbaru corridor.
During the debate, Senators Isah Jibrin, Diket Plang and Samson Ekong highlighted other abandoned road projects across the country, stressing the need for the government to complete existing infrastructure to improve mobility and stimulate economic activities.
One of the lawmakers specifically cited the Calabar-Itu and Idukpani-Itu roads, lamenting the loss of lives and disruption of economic activities along routes serving Aba, Ikot Ekpene and Umuahia.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole criticised the Ministry of Works for embarking on new projects while several existing roads remained abandoned or inadequately funded.
Senators Ahmad Lawan, Adamu Aliero and Wasiu Eshilokun also supported the call for the completion of ongoing projects before the government commits resources to additional ones.
However, Lawan emphasised the need to provide new roads for underserved communities that lack adequate transportation infrastructure.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, aligned with the position that completing existing projects should take priority but maintained that new road construction could be unavoidable where flooding had destroyed critical transport links.
Akpabio argued that failing to construct replacement roads in such circumstances could amount to abandoning communities cut off from essential transportation networks.
The Senate’s resolution underscores growing concerns over the state of federal roads and the need for improved funding, effective project management and a more strategic approach to infrastructure development across Nigeria.
