Fashola bans states from rehabilitating FG roads, Ekiti Rep kicks

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Federal Road
Maintenance Agency, Hon Femi Bamisile, has appealed to the Federal
Government to rescind the decision barring states from
reconstructing federal roads across the country.

Bamisile, who is representing Ekiti South Federal constituency
II, said the order will further, increase the deplorable states of
federal roads in the country.

He also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of
emergency in the road sector, saying this remains the best way to
tackle the deplorable conditions of the roads.

The lawmaker spoke in Ado Ekiti on Friday after the House of
Representatives committee on FERMA inspected the collapsed bridge
across Ureje River along Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, which
caved in after torrential rain on Monday and killed a man in the
process.

Bamisile said the directive from the Minister of Works, Mr.
Babatunde Raji Fashola that the states should refrain from
reconstructing federal roads shouldn’t have come at a time the
Federal Government was financially incapacitated like it is
experiencing.

“It is disturbing to hear that two institutions, Are Babalola
University and Federal Polytechnic and a section of Ado Ekiti
capital city were cut off by flood and a man was killed in the
process.

“It was disturbing that a man was killed during the flood I was
devastated by the news because we were elected to defend the rights
of our people.

“The House of Representatives will debate the order and address
it properly because we can’t subject our people to hardship due to
the bad roads.

“The deplorable state of our road is disturbing and that order
coming at a time like this when the FG has no capacity to give
necessary attention to these roads across the federation makes it
imperative for the House of Representatives to address the
situation.

“Governor Kayode Fayemi even told me that he had a letter from
the Federal Ministry of Works on his table telling him not to
rehabilitate federal roads that it should be left for the federal
to undertake. I’am assuring Nigerians that the National Assembly
will look into the matter.”

Bamisile commended Governor Kayode Fayemi and the founder of
ABUAD, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) for the palliatives they provided
on the bridge to reconnect the disconnected communities.

“I want to say that the FG must declare an emergency in road
sector without delay. Our roads are bad and as representatives of
the people, we must give them quality services having voted for
us.

“We don’t have to wait and allow the people to die before taking
actions,” he said.