Posted by Senate moves to probe Anenih, Ogunlewe, others on
Several years after former Abia State governor,
Daily Sun recalled that Anenih was the first Works Minister, followed by Garba Ali Madaki, Senator Isaiah Balat, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Engineer Femi Anibaba and Cornelius Adebayo in that order during the eight years administration of Olusegun Obasanjo.
Senate's decision to carry out a comprehensive probe of the Works Ministry was sequel to a motion on the collapse of 'Road Infrastructure in Nigeria," sponsored by Senators Ayogu Eze, Teslim Folarin, Osita Izunaso, Sylvester Anyanwu, Anthony Agbo, Ehegie Uzamere, Ahmed Lawal, Grace Bent, Umar Tafida-Argungu, Otaru Ohize and Ibrahim Ida .
In moving the motion, Senator Eze submitted that 13 lives are lost daily to road accidents and that in a year the country loses an average of 17,000 lives, which he noted was too high a price to pay for the failure of government.
Said he: 'Over one trillion naira was spent on road construction and rehabilitation in Nigeria in the past eight years with minimal or no impact on our roads."
'The collapse of the road infrastructure has virtually cut off many parts of Nigeria, with its attendant negative impact on trade and commerce. The collapse has led to a decline in agricultural activities, adversely affecting the movement of agricultural produce from rural to urban area and across the country, resulting in a slide in the country's agricultural output and the economy."
To this end, the Senate resolved to direct its Committee on Works, when constituted to embark on audit of all road projects in Nigeria with a view to producing the raw data for further necessary legislative action.
It further directed its Committee on Works to liaise with the appropriate government agencies to ensure the rehabilitation or completion of all abandoned and on-going road projects across the country.
Contributing to the debate earlier, deputy Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, said: 'Let us look at the reasons why such huge investments in the sector has yielded no result.
'FERMA has failed because we charged them with something more than their ability. They cannot maintain roads that have totally collapsed. This is the time we should look at other sources of transportation. The pressure has been on roads because we have not developed other sources.
There must be a consistent road policy that will survive many administrations."
Senator Smart Adeyemi on his part said: 'In Nigeria when roads are constructed, which are supposed to last for at least 30 years, within six months of construction, you have potholes on Nigerian roads. We should look at the rate projects are awarded in Nigeria."