Correctional Service Seeks FERMA Intervention On Roads, Lighting Facilities

The Managing Director/CEO, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Nuruddeen Rafindadi, has pledge Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA)’s commitment to partnering the Nigerian Correctional Service as a strategic institution of the country, to fix the road network in its Correctional Centres.

Rafindadi made this known during a courtesy call by a delegation from the Nigerian Correctional Service led by ACG, Attah M.I. who represented the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, FICMC, MFR to the Agency’s Headquarters.

Earlier, ACG Attah commended the Management of FERMA for the warm reception and stated the purpose of their visit. He said, ‘’Our mission to the Agency is to appeal and solicit for the intervention of the Agency in fixing some of the roads in our correctional centres which are in deplorable states”.

He added that the road leading to the Correctional Service Academy of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ogun State where senior officers are being trained needs quick intervention as the road is in a very deplorable state.

Attah appealed to FERMA to make the road network more accessible for the staff as the road is in a total state of disrepair.

He also appealed to the Agency to help install streetlights in the Custodian centers where inmates are kept.

Attah highlighted the functions of the Nigerian Correctional Service to include, safe custody of offenders, reforming the offenders positively, rehabilitating and engaging the inmates in skill acquisition, educational acquisition, and re-integration among others.

Responding, the MD said the road sector is an essential infrastructure/asset of the economy of the country and an important sector that concerns everybody.

He said “FERMA, which sole mandate is to monitor and maintain all Federal roads across the nation has the capacity and expertise to deliver in it mandate.  With fifty offices across the country, 38 field offices, and 12 Zonal offices, he said, the Agency is tirelessly working to ensure all federal roads are in a good and safe condition for road users all year round.

Furthermore, Rafindadi said Nigeria has about 200,000km of national roads across the nation of which 36,000km are Federal roads. This sector according to him is a key infrastructure to Nigerians as the road transport sector is one of the most commonly used means of transportation in the country.

He, however, stated that the Agency sometimes fixes roads that are not in her jurisdiction such as State roads and strategic roads because of their economic importance, this is done as part of FERMA’s corporate social responsibility, he added.

Remarkably, Rafindadi noted that the budget of the Agency which used to be poor before the present management came on board has risen tremendously in the past three years, from 25 billion to about a 100 billion annual budget.

“In the last three years, we have had almost a 100 percent performance, as all contract jobs awarded were executed accordingly”.

The MD also said the Agency, has the best solar panels in the country, as some streetlights powered by FERMA solar panels have lasted for a period of five years and counting without any issues.

Appreciating the visit of the delegates, the MD remarked that the visit will mark the beginning of a long-lasting relationship between the two organisations.

He noted that FERMA as an essential service provider and an enabling sector, it is always willing to partner with strategic institutions like the Correctional Service that provide essential services to the nation and therefore, glad to assist the institution within the limit of funds available to the Agency.