Reps probe FERMA over fraud, illegal practices

By Christiana Ekpa 

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the activities of FERMA from 2019 till date, even as it alleged monumental fraud, illegalities going on in the agency.

The Ad-hoc Committee is expected to report back to the house within 6(six weeks).

The House resolutions was as a result of a motion tilted “Need to investigate the Monumental Fraud and illegalities going on at the Federal Road Maintenance Agency of Nigeria (FERMA) moved by the Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, the Minority Leader of the House.

Presenting the Motion, the Minority Leader, noted that “the federal road maintenance agency (FERMA) was established in 2002 with a mandate to efficiently and effectively monitor  and maintain all federal roads in Nigeria with an objective of keeping all the roads in good and safe condition at all time.

He said “further that the agency is under the supervision of the ministry of works.

“Aware that while billions of naira is voted to FERMA yearly for purposes of road maintenance, the federal roads across the country are nothing to write home about as most of them have become death traps, killing hundreds of Nigerians yearly as a result of poor conditions of our roads.

“Further aware that FERMA which was set up to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigeria road users is alleged to be enmeshed in serious corrupt practices by the management. 

“Disturbed that the corrupt practices includes high handedness by the  leadership of the agency, over inflation of contracts, award of non- existent contracts, massive splitting of jobs and flagrant disregard for procurement laws in the award of contracts and in most cases refuse to implement the budget in full thereby doing selective implementation of the budget.

“Further disturbed that there are allegations of intentional delays in awarding contracts for road repairs and construction several months after bidding had been completed and successful bidders have emerged thereby compounding problems for Nigeria road users and sabotaging the effort of government.

“Worried that most of these contracts are alleged to have been cornered by the management for themselves and their cronies who abandons site after collecting reasonable percentage of advance payment of contract sum.”