WOLE BALOGUN, Ado Ekiti
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.