Hon. Sadiq Abbas Tafida, the federal lawmaker representing Jalingo, Yorro, and Zing Federal Constituency, has called on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently intervene in the poor state of federal roads across Taraba State.
Speaking during an oversight visit to Maiduguri, Hon. Tafida decried the condition of key access routes into Taraba, describing them as “virtually impassable” and in need of immediate rehabilitation. He emphasized that the situation poses serious risks to transportation, trade, and public safety, and must be addressed without delay.
He also urged FERMA to correct its current administrative classification of Taraba State under the North Central zone, recommending that the state be rightly placed under the North East zone for more efficient project execution and better alignment with its geographical location.
Highlighting inconsistencies in FERMA’s zonal mapping, Hon. Tafida noted that Jigawa State—firmly in the North West—is listed under the North East in the agency’s organogram. He called on FERMA to review such discrepancies to promote fairness and regional balance in project allocation.
As part of long-term road infrastructure solutions, Hon. Tafida emphasized the importance of preventive maintenance. He advocated for the deployment of weighbridges nationwide to control axle loads on highways, noting that overloading significantly contributes to road degradation.
Drawing lessons from Zambia’s successful road management system, the lawmaker warned that unless weight limits are enforced, Nigeria will continue to spend billions on repairs without durable results.
