Why Many Bad Federal Roads Will Not Be Fixed – Buhari
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari has admitted that some federal roads in Nigeria will not be fixed as the government is in a cash crunch.
Naijaparry reports that Senator Buhari said this on Sunday after attending a thanksgiving service in honour of the member representing Ogbomosho North State Constituency Bimbo Oladeji.
According to Buhari, who represents Oyo North, the Federal Government cannot fund the 3, 800 roads that need to be repaired in the nation.
He noted that out of the number of roads needing attention only 500 have been captured in the 2020 appropriated bill.
The lawmaker, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, said the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), presented the list of 3,800 roads to his committee.
Buhari, however, said the budget could only finance 500 roads, adding that the Ministry of Works had the highest figure in the 2020 budget proposal.
He said the N262billion allocated to the Ministry is far from what is needed to fix roads in Nigeria.
“The state of our roads is horrible. If you look at this year’s budget, N260billion has been budgeted for roads in Nigeria, but I must be honest with you, the roads so far are deplorable all over the country,” the Senator added.
“From the North, West, East and South, it is horrible. But, the money is not enough to do the job that is prioritised.
“Like the Trunk A, roads in the Southwest for example – the Lagos to Ibadan, Ibadan to Ogbomosho and Ogbomosho to Ilorin – those are the ones picked. The same thing with the Eastern Bypass in Owerri, South-South and other regions.”
According to him “in Nigeria, we prioritise and politicise everything. If you pick a particular section, other sections will not look at the benefits that will go to human beings generally and those to enjoy the use; they will say you are biased because you belong to a particular place.
“About five days ago, I was with Fashola and we were discussing the state of Nigerian roads.
“He brought out a list of over 3,800 roads, but the available money can only repair 500 roads and they must be spread and not put in a particular section of the country.
“That is what is happening. I can assure you that, it may take some time, but we will reach there.”
Defending Fashola
On the comment by Fashola that
Nigerian roads are not as bad as being portrayed, he said the Minister cannot make such a statement.
“He (Fashola) has never said that. I was with him five days ago; he even showed me the map and the plottings of their priorities,” he noted.
“If he had said that, he won’t show me the map or their priorities. He won’t even tell me we have over 3,000 roads that needed attention.
“The only thing he said to me was that what they met is not what it is now; that they have achieved a lot.
“You will even agree that before January next, the Oyo-Ogbomosho road would have gone very far because it is in the budget.
“What the minister told me was that before next year, he will try and work hard to ensure that the road project advances.
“Several roads need attention. But, with the prioritisation, it will help work.”