The Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Ayogu Eze has called for the declaration of a state of emergency in the road sector.
He added that “if we continue funding our roads the way we are doing today, we will not get anywhere.’’
Eze made the call in Abuja when the Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolomemen appeared before the committee to defend the 2012 budget of the ministry.
He also called on the Federal Government to provide special fund for roads.
The lawmaker stressed the importance of ensuring that roads were in good condition for use by all.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to provide a special fund. They have done it for the power sector, the agric sector and the aviation sector.
“So we must create a special emergency fund for the road sector this year or else we are deceiving ourselves,’’ Eze said.
“If you’ve seen the 2012 budget, you will realise that small amounts of monies have been spread over 20 roads. There is no country that moves like that. It is a drop of salt in a mighty ocean.’’
Onolomemen, in his presentation, told the committee that the N180 billion appropriated to the ministry was based on the guidelines that it should lay more emphasis on completing ongoing projects.
“We realised that for us to drive our projects to completion, the ministry needs to fund its capital projects to the tune of 420 billion consistently for three years.’’
“We focused more on dualising the Kano-Maiduguri, the Abuja-Lokoja, the Sagamu-Ore-Benin, Onitsa-Enugu-Port Harourt and the Lagos-Otta roads – all of which are ongoing.’’
The minister told the committee that N 41 billion from the 2011 budget was not released to the ministry.
“As we speak, the total amount of outstanding certificates in the ministry stands at N51 billion.
“The import of not releasing that money is this; we have about N126 billion to fund ongoing road projects.
“So when you remove N 51 billion which is the value of outstanding certificates which we have in the ministry, the ministry is left with just about N75 billion.
“This is a far cry from what we require to truly drive some of these flagship projects to conclusion.
“At the very best, N75 billion can fund only the Apapa-Oshodi express road up to the old toll gate or the Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt highway.”