KEY POINTS
- FG begins road repairs nationwide ahead of Yuletide to ease travel.
- FERMA aims to repair over 653 km of roads and create 12,000 jobs.
- Repairs will be completed by mid-December to avoid holiday disruptions.
The Federal Government has kicked off the preparation for this year’s Yuletide celebration following the launch of the repair of most Nigerian roads by the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA.
This move is intended to enhance free and safe traffic flow for drivers during the holiday season.
Chukwuemeka Agbasi, Managing Director of FERMA, announced the commencement of Phase 2 of the “Operation Connect to Your Destination” initiative in Kano State.
He stated that the project would entail a significant level of road rehabilitation that include among others repair of failed sections and resurfacing of the roads.
Scope of the repair initiative
Agbasi listed the main goals of the program for repairs. About 18,850 square meters of roads will be patched, 12,000 areas of failed sections will be recovered, 2,700 square meters will be covered, and 653 kilometers of roads will be made motorable as part of the program.
He underlined that the goal of the operation is to shorten travel times and lessen traffic, especially in regions that experience heavy traffic during the holidays.
To minimize the impact on road users, the repairs are being selectively concentrated on regions that are known to see high traffic volumes.
“This program is designed to improve commuter journey times and reduce traffic bottlenecks during the festive period,” Agbasi said. To guarantee easier mobility during the Christmas season, we are concentrating on regions that see a lot of traffic.
Job creation and economic impact
In addition to road repairs, the project is expected to generate over 12,000 jobs across the country.
According to Vanguard, Agbasi highlighted the positive impact this initiative will have on addressing unemployment, particularly during the busy festive season.
“This project will not only improve road conditions but also create over 12,000 jobs, contributing to the economic well-being of many unemployed Nigerians,” Agbasi added.
Timeline and execution
Sani Abdulkadir, FERMA’s Head of Direct Labour Department, provided further details on the timeline of the repairs.
He explained that the maintenance work will be completed before mid-December to avoid ongoing construction during the busy Yuletide travel period.
He added, “We are committed to completing the road maintenance before mid-December to ensure there is no disruption during the festive season. This will allow for a smoother flow of traffic and ease travel for all road users.”
With the holiday season just around the corner, efforts by the Federal Government to fix poor roads are well timed and expected to increase road safety and congestion.
Evidently, the concentration on job creation, traffic decrease and timespecific development is seen as FERMA’s effort towards enhancing the general trip experience and satisfaction of Nigerians midst the holiday.
