Reps Summon FERMA Boss Over Worsening South-South Road Construction.

• The House of Representatives summons FERMA boss, Chukwuemeka Agbasi, over poor road construction across the South-South.

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating abandoned federal road projects in Calabar and across the South-South has summoned the Managing Director of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Chukwuemeka Agbasi, to appear before it over the worsening condition of roads in the region.

The resolution was reached on Thursday during the committee’s inaugural sitting, chaired by Edo lawmaker Billy Osawaru, following what members described as an unsatisfactory presentation by a FERMA director, Usman Mohammed.

Despite the South-South’s vital role in sustaining Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy, road infrastructure across its six states — Edo, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross River — remains among the worst in the country.

Recall that in June 2025, a civic group known as the Southern Solidarity Alliance accused contractors of using substandard materials for ongoing federal road reconstructions along the Benin Bypass, Nnewi-Okigwe Road, and other key routes across the South-South and South-East.

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The group alleged the use of 6mm rods and low-grade wire gauze for the Benin Bypass, warning that such materials could not withstand the heavy truck traffic common in the area.

In a letter to President Bola Tinubu, the group demanded a federal investigation into the ongoing road projects, insisting that inferior materials were being used to the detriment of citizens and the economy.

Responding to the outcry, Osawaru described the situation as “a national embarrassment” and said the state of roads in the South-South was undermining economic activities.

“These roads are more than just transit routes; they are vital arteries that support trade, connect communities, and enable regional integration. Their current state undermines economic activity and erodes public confidence in government interventions,” Osawaru said.

The committee is expected to reconvene next week as part of its oversight mission to assess ongoing and abandoned federal road projects across the South-South region.