Facilitate Assent to Road Reform Sector Bills — Institution Urges Transport Minister

By Abubakar Yunusa f

The Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers (NIHTE) has called upon the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Adeboyega Oyetola, to expedite the Presidential assent for the Road Sector Reform Bills, aiming to address the prevailing constraints within the sector.
Engr. Saidu Hassan, the National Chairman of the institution, made this plea during a workshop organized by the International Road Federation (IRF) in collaboration with the Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers (NIHTE) in Abuja yesterday.
Chairman Hassan emphasized the need to promote the use of rigid pavement on heavily trafficked routes and sections with poor subgrade conditions.
He further encouraged the Ministry to promptly initiate the regulation of axle loads on our roads and highways by introducing weigh-in-motion systems.
He stated, “The new policy should be subject to research and professional considerations in collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders across Nigeria.”
“We urge the Honourable Minister to collaborate with his counterpart in the Ministry of Solid Minerals to expedite the exploitation of the country’s bitumen reserves through private investors. This action will help conserve our foreign exchange and significantly contribute to the provision of cost-effective road infrastructure,” Hassan added.
“We strongly recommend that the Honourable Minister should work closely with the Minister of Steel to accelerate the completion of the Ajaokuta steel complex. This will enable access to local steel production, ultimately reducing the costs associated with concrete pavement construction,” Hassan explained.
In his opening remarks, the Managing Director of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi, emphasized the challenge of achieving more with fewer resources.
He pointed out, “How can you do more with less if you don’t know how to manage the resources you have? This workshop focuses on managing assets, which begins with policy formulation and objectives before transitioning to operational phases.”
Engineer Isa Emoabino, the former President of NIHTE, recalled past efforts to pass the road sector reform bill in the 8th and 9th assemblies, noting the absence of Presidential assent. He expressed hope for a positive outcome in the future.