NIHTE Expresses Deep Concern Over Deteriorating Nigerian Road Infrastructure
Stakeholders of the Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers (NIHTE) are increasingly alarmed by the worsening condition of the nation’s roads.
Factors such as excessive axle loads, insufficient funding, irregular payment for certified work, and the use of unprotected pavement during construction have been identified as contributors to this decline.
At a four-day event titled “Managing Road Infrastructure Assets,” jointly organized by NIHTE and the International Road Federation (IRF) in Abuja, Engr. Saidu Hassan, the national chairman of NIHTE, and Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi, the Managing Director of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), shed light on these issues.
The concerns also extend to Minister of Works, David Umahi, who is being urged to secure presidential approval for the Road Sector Reform Bills. These bills aim to establish the Federal Roads Authority as an Executing Agency and create a Roads Fund, ensuring sustainable funding for road maintenance.
The workshop, hosted by NIHTE, focuses on enhancing the technical expertise of its members and emphasizes the need for immediate action to address the deteriorating road infrastructure.
Engr. Hassan highlighted Nigeria’s past success in road infrastructure and called for the swift approval of the Road Sector Reform Bills. He also recommended measures such as promoting rigid pavement on heavily trafficked routes and implementing axle load control through weigh-in-motion systems.
Additionally, the Minister was urged to collaborate with the Ministry of Solid Minerals to exploit the country’s bitumen reserves and work with the Ministry of Steel to complete the Ajaokuta steel complex, reducing construction costs.
Engr. Agbasi stressed the importance of effective asset management during resource constraints.
Prominent figures in the engineering and road construction industry echoed the need for increased budgetary allocations to address these pressing road infrastructure issues in Nigeria.