road maintenance in nigeria

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30TH April, 2008

ROAD MAINTENANCE IN NIGERIA

A PAPER DELIVERED

BY

Engr Amos, G. C. M.ENG, B.ENG, MNSE CHIEF MAINTENANCE ENGINEER, FERMA BENUE STATE

AT

ENGINEER SENIOR OFFICERS COURSE (ESOC)

HELD AT THE NIGERIAN ARMY SCHOOL OF MILITARY ENGINEERING (NASME) MAKURDI

ABSTRACT

This paper attempts to outline the trend of development in the road sub sector of Nigeria. It reviews the general pattern of management and financing of this very critical sector which plays an important role in the economic, political and socio-cultural sectors and as well as in the security of the country.

It then takes a critical look at the various efforts that have been made over the years to bring about reform in service delivery and concludes by identifying sustainable funding as the panacea to the problem of large backlog of deferred and overdue maintenance in the road sector which invariably increases the cost of road transport and raises the net cost to the economy as a whole.

ROAD MAINTENANCE IN NIGERIA AMOS, G.C. (30th April 2008)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Traditionally the core of engineering activity in the road sub-sector has consisted of the design and construction of new roads. As roads are rarely taken out of commission, and the prospect is, of fewer new roads being built, the main activity on roads now and in the future is maintenance.

Maintenance as it relates to highways is the preserving and keeping of each roadway, structure and facility as near as possible in its original condition as constructed or as subsequently improved and such additional work as is necessary to keep traffic moving safely. It consists of correcting deficiencies in the highway which has developed as a result of age, wear, weather and damage arising from cumulative axle loads and taking steps to prevent or delay the development of other deficiencies. A programme of activities for road system maintenance can be grouped into three broad headings

A Routine maintenance:

These involve regular small scale engineering activities normally carried out on daily or weekly basis. They include Desilting of drains, culverts and carriageway, pothole patching, vegetation control, road furniture repairs /replacement

B Periodic maintenance:

This include the renewal of surface at specified intervals, such as re-gravelling (earth roads), resurfacing of distressed sections of the carriageway, asphalt overlay, pavement reconstruction and renewal of pavement markings.

C Special maintenance:

This involves the restoration of unforeseen circumstance such as flood damaged embankments, side drains, slopes of cuttings, culvert outlets, bridge abutments and wing walls, which may result in the road being cut, diverted or made impassable.

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BENEFITS OF ROAD MAINTENANCE:

A well maintained road network serves the following main purposes:

Prolongs the life of the road and postpones the need for reconstruction

Reduces vehicle operating costs (VOC)

Keeps the road open all the time, thereby promotes punctuality and reduces travel time

Promotes road safety, etc

It makes for easier planning

1.0 THE NIGERIAN ROAD NETWORK

Roads in Nigeria are classified according to the function or purpose served by the road and the administration or authority exercising control over the road. Federal roads (those admitted in the Federal Highways Act, 1971 with its amendment) were classified as Trunk ‘A’, while regional roads were classified as Trunk ’B’ and Local Government roads as Trunk ‘C’. However, in 1974, 16,100 km of Trunk ‘B’ roads were acquired by the Federal Government and subsequently re-designated as Trunk ‘F’ roads. Trunk ‘E’ roads represent the expressways. The Trunk ‘A’ roads are the major road arteries of the country. They run north to south connecting the main seaports of Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar to the hinterland and farming communities.

In the 1970-74 2nd National Development Plan, one third of the public sector capital programme was devoted to the transport sector, most of which was spent on road transport. The 3rd National Development Plan (1975-1980) the Transport Sector was scheduled to spend N9.68billion out of a total plan expenditure of N43.31billion. Out of the total allocation to the transport sector, expenditure on Federal roads and bridges account for about N7.0billion.

Highways constitute the most prominent mode of transportation in Nigeria and accounts for about Ninety-five percent (95%) of the movement of goods and persons in the country.

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The present size of the total network of roads in Nigeria is a dense grid of 194, 200 kilometres.

Table 1. Distribution and Ownership Road Network in Nigeria

ROAD LENGTH (KM) TOTAL

FEDERAL STATE LOCAL GOVT

Paved Trunk Roads 28,520 10,400 38,920

Unpaved Trunk Roads 5,600 20,100 25,700

Urban Roads 21,900 21,900

Main Rural Roads 72,800 72,800

Village Access roads 34,880 34,880

Total (Km) 34,120 30,500 129,580 194,200

Percentage (%) 17.56 15.71 66.73 100

In terms of National Assets, the total asset value of the over 194,200 kilometres of Nigeria roads is currently estimated as N4,567 billion (N4.6 trillion) which is broken down as indicated below:

Federal Roads N2,214billion

State Roads N1,261billion

Local and rural roads N1,092billion

Total N4,567billion

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JURISDICTION

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Given the huge amount of funds invested in the national road system, it is imperative to protect this enormous asset on a long term basis for the future generation and particularly the economic development of the country through planned road maintenance management strategy.

2.0 THE HISTORY OF ROAD MAINTENANCE IN NIGERIA

Roads Maintenance efforts aimed at continued improvement in service delivery has a long history in Nigeria. These efforts could be classified into various periods as follows:

A The Period Before 1939:

During this period the roads were mostly maintained by the Native Authorities (NA) Administration. These were mostly earth roads, with only a section of Lagos-Abeokuta road tarred in 1926. There was an organisational set up whereby labour intensive methods were employed. The basic labour unit was a gang of 3 to 6 labourers, controlled by a headman who assigned tasks on a dedicated stretch of the road to them. The men (mostly daily paid) usually lived in road camps within 7-10 km section and the headman carried out his inspection on bicycle. Four to six gangs were in turn, controlled by a road overseer. This overseer reported to a foreman or a technical officer who then reported to the district engineer.

B The Period Up To 1975:

Before 1975, the Federal Ministry of Works was responsible for the maintenance of Trunk ‘A’ roads. The field maintenance works was carried out by the State Ministries of Works on an agency basis, for which they were paid agency fees and plant hire charges. In Lagos area with approximately 80km of federal roads, maintenance was done by direct labour. This was done under the supervision of maintenance units based at Ijora. The overall control of the maintenance activities all over the country was exercised at the Headquarters in Lagos, by the Chief Engineer (Highways Maintenance).

The practice then was for State Ministries to forward their request for fund for the forthcoming year giving details of their claims to the Federal Ministry of works (FMW). Subsequently, the FMW issued once-and-for-all financial warrants in the form of Authority to Incur Expenditure

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(AIE’s) to the states. These allocations to states were based on mileage, surface type and width of the federal roads in question. They were also to submit monthly progress and financial reports to FMW. There were, however, no federal representatives in the states to ascertain the veracity of the reports.

C The Period Between 1975 - 1981:

In May 1974, contract was signed between Federal Ministry of works and Kampsax (Nigeria) Limited commissioning the consultant to implement the report of the Nigeria Highway Maintenance Study earlier carried out by the consultant. By this time, Government had decided that the maintenance of the federal trunk road network termed the ‘Nigeria Highway Maintenance Project’ should be executed by the Federal Ministry of Works under the aegis of a Federal Highway Maintenance Organisation.

At this time the Federal roads was made up of 13,000 kilometres of Trunk ’A’ roads and 16,000 Kilometres of trunk ‘F’ roads. The scope of the project involved the establishment of 52 No. Highway maintenance Districts to handle maintenance works throughout the country. In the transition period, from 1975 a gradual transfer of responsibility for federal roads from states to the Federal Highway Maintenance Organisation took place.

In February 1978, the Government took a hard look at the slow progress made in the implementation of the ‘Nigeria Highways Maintenance Project’ and decided to hand over the maintenance of federal roads back to the States once again on ‘agency basis ‘ but this time, appointed Federal Liaison Engineers to monitor the maintenance activities by the States. This state of affairs, however, did not last long, because three years later, it was again decided that the FMW should take-over from the States, the responsibility for the maintenance of all federal roads.

D The Period Between 1981 - 2002:

In 1981, about 6,500 kilometres of federal roads were given out in small groups for ‘maintenance by contract’. In 1982 another set of 5,300kilometres of federal roads were added to the exercise. Towards the end of 1983, nearly all federal roads outside Lagos were given out on ‘maintenance by contract’. Officers of the Highways Division in the various FMW field offices were in charge of supervision. As a result of

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inadequate allocation of funds to FMW, the maintenance contracts were not comprehensively executed. From time to time, meagre allocations were released to field offices for special repairs of Federal roads not covered by the ‘maintenance by contract’ scheme.

E The Period Between 2002 - Date:

Following increasing problems arising from poor maintenance and grossly inadequate funds to address the issues, the Federal Highways Department of FMW over the years has come to recognised that existing approaches to road management and financing have created critical problems revolving around:

No planned maintenance programme

No needs-based planning and programming of activities

Inappropriate organizational structure for managing the road system – institutional issues

High level of indebtedness to contractors

Too much emphasis on new construction to the detriment of maintenance

Lack of budget realism – erratic and unstable, need for alternative source of funding for road maintenance

The concept of road user charges has not been imbibed within the system. The private sector and major stakeholders are not involved in road maintenance

Lack of continuity over time, leading to long years of neglect and backlog of deferred or delayed maintenance

No training programs for highway personnel at all levels

Lack of an effective management information system for network based planning and financing

In June 1996, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing organized a workshop tagged ‘Road Vision 2000’ (Reform on Management and Financing of the Road Sector). At this forum a consensus was reached on the need to reform the management and financing of Nigeria’s road sector through:

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Creation of an Autonomous Road Agency to be known as National Road Board(NRB)

Creation of National Road Fund(NRF) to be managed by the National Road Board

Creation of an enabling framework for Private Sector Participation in the management and financing of the road sector

A Presidential Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC) was set up in 1999 to look into the state of the national infrastructure. The committee recommended, among other things, that the funding of highways should be improved by establishing a road Fund which will derive its fund from the following sources:

Highway tolls

Vehicle taxes

Truck weigh bridges

Parking fees

Petroleum tax

However, The Federal Government instead sponsored a Bill for the establishment of a Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

3.0 FEDERAL ROADS MAINTENANCE AGENCY (FERMA)

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) came into being on November 30th 2002, with the enactment of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency Establishment Act 2002, which empowers the agency to monitor and maintain Federal roads nationwide. It has since taken over the responsibility for the maintenance of Federal Highways nationwide from the Federal Highways Department of FMW. The presently FERMA is governed by a Board of directors made up of a representative each of all the six geo-political zones as well as representatives of various stakeholders groups across the country. A Managing Director, who is assisted by seven Executive Directors are responsible for day- to -day operations. To ensure effectiveness of operations,

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each state of the Federation and the FCT has a Chief Maintenance Engineer (CME) who is supported by an array of other staff.

A Activities:

The mode of operation is a mix of maintenance by contract and by direct labour, and this has led FERMA to have positively impacted on road maintenance in the following ways:

Faster response to special and emergency repairs

Re-introduction of Direct Labour (Force Account) method of road repairs

Re-introduction of road camp concept

Operation 500 roads across the six geo-political zones-The main objective was to undertake massive repairs and maintenance of 500 selected roads covering a total of 26,400 kilometres of road network before the commencement of the 2004 rainy season.

Introduction of Maintenance through Retainership-by rate contracts for trunk roads

Procurement of Asphalt plant to enhance local capacity

Establishment of road support services (RSSC)

Enhancement of road safety and collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC)

Improved road maintenance initiative and relationship with the States

Support service to Federal Institutions.

B Challenges:

From the inception of operation in 2003, the Agency had been confronted with problems of how to address the terrible state of federal road network which could only be attended to from the standpoint of repairs of failed segments and with a short term aim of keeping the road

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in motorable condition for use of the public. In other words, the agency could not at any time since inception embark on actual programmed maintenance of the road network, but rather on the repair of road failures.

When the Agency commenced operation in 2003, the Federal road network was in a state of total disrepair, which is a reflection of the large backlog of deferred maintenance. About 50% of the network had collapsed, only 5% of the network could pass for roads in very good structural state, 35% were in a poor structural state condition and 10% in good condition.

The short term strategy adopted by FERMA and the Federal Highways Department of Federal Ministry of Transportation adding 10% to the quantum of very good road within the network, the situation by 2007 has slightly improved, such that the quality structure of the federal road network is that 15% is in very good condition, 20% in good condition, 30% in poor condition and 35% is in very bad condition. While the Agency continues to intervene in all these segments of the road, it is very important that the present state of the road network structure is sustained and improved upon. In other words the good roads should be prevented from degenerating into the poor and bad conditions, while adequate programme should be put in place to upgrade or strengthen the quality of the roads that are in the poor and bad category. Other challenges the Agency was confronted with from inception included:

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Fig.1 State of Federal Roads Before 2003


Inadequate funding for road maintenance –In Nigeria the main source of fund for road activities is through Budgetary allocations; in view of other competing needs, for the available resources, the network cannot be put in a sustainable stable condition through such financing mechanism.

Limited disposition for objective implementation of its programme

Teething problem of infrastructural establishment of its operation as a new Agency

Undue interference in its operation and most recently;

Inability to meet its contractual obligations

It is in recognition of these problems that the Agency commenced the planned turn-around of its operation with the objective for an effective medium term result and a rewarding long term benefit on its road maintenance initiative.

C FERMA’s Medium Term Strategy for Road Sector Maintenance Management:

Under its short Term Road Maintenance Management Strategy, the Agency adopted the Direct Labour, Retainership by- Rate Contract and regular contract methods to carry out its activities. Rather than allow itself to be bogged down within limited scope of attending to the emergency repair of road, the Agency developed its Medium Term Road Sector Management Strategy that will guarantee a holistic and effective maintenance management of the federal road network. The objective of the strategy is to first and foremost address the issue of incessant road failure, by applying the principles of preventive maintenance measures that will help in stabilizing the structural strength of the road pavement. This will then be backed up by a programme that will enhance and upgrade the quality of the road infrastructure and ultimately run a programme that will sustain the desired road network. These initiatives are:

Performance Based Maintenance Management (PBMM) programme

Systemic Road Strengthening and Enhancement (SRSE) programme

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The objective of the PBMM concept is to establish a holistic and comprehensive market driven and public private participatory routine maintenance of existing fairly good roads within the network and are sustainably managed in such a way that their quality will remain in the same state serviceability and aesthetics for as long as the road is in use.

The approach adopted to actualise SRSE initiative is to embark on the overlay and enhancement of the road pavement and drainage structures of carefully selected segments of the road network on an annual basis over a period of 8-10 years. In this regard, about 3,500km of the road network can enjoy the benefit from the road strengthened annually under the SRSE programme. Any segment that benefit from the road strengthening programme would have, in each case, been transformed by having its life span extended for about 10-15years; while the PBMM programme will be utilized to support and enhance the structural stability and quality of such roads under the programme.

4.0 FUNDING OF ROAD MAINTENANCE :

The normal budgetary allocations have been proven to be grossly inadequate over the years. Even the amounts allocated are never released at the right time thereby making the flow of road maintenance funds very erratic. Without adequate, stable and sustainable funding, road maintenance policies have been highly unstable in the country.

His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the opening ceremony of the 13th Nigerian Economic Summit on the 5th of September, 2007; stated inter alia “....it has been estimated that Nigeria would require an annual infrastructure investment ranging between 6 billion and 9 billion dollars per year. It is clear that the resources available to government despite high oil prices- are inadequate to cope with these many challenges. The task therefore is to put in place an appropriate framework to mobilize non government resources for the upgrading, maintenance and expansion of our physical infrastructure. The business community is best placed to drive this process of sourcing the needed funding for the development of the quality and quantity of our infrastructure.”

The financing of road projects is a global problem and Nigeria is no exception and countries all over the world have tried to alleviate the problems through

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adopting strategies and exploring complementary sources of funds for managing their road network. The most obvious way forward for road maintenance funding and management is the adoption and implementation of the objectives of Road Vision 2000, which recommends among others the creation of a National Road Fund to be managed by a National Road Board to ensure stable and sustainable funding for road sector. Sources of funding recommended include road user charge such as:

Fuel levy (petroleum tax)

Road and bridge tolling

Taxes on automobile parts

Vehicle registration fee

International Transit fees, and

Axle load penalties

On 25th November, 2005 the ‘Infrastructures Concession Regulation and Related Matters Act 2005 was enacted. Government has through the Act created an enabling environment for private sector participation in road development and maintenance and these can be achieved through the Build Operate and Transfer philosophy.

By definition, Concession is the award of a right to build, own and operate a public service infrastructure for a given period. In financial terms, concession financing is the design arrangement and implementation of a financial package for a major project in which the lenders will only look up to the future cash flows of the project and the projects assets as the principal form of guarantee.

The other variant of BOT that relate to the road sub-sector for existing roads are:

R.O.T - Rehabilitate Operate and Transfer

L.M.T - Lease Maintain and Transfer

M.O.T - Maintain Operate and Transfer

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The operator will be in charge of the operation and maintenance of the road as well as the collection of tolls during the operation phase.

ADVANTAGES OF TOLL FINANCING

The advantages of employing toll financing for road include at least the following:

Only user of a particular toll road pays for the higher level of service enjoyed and not all road users, most of whom would not have occasion to use the facility. This is not the case with most other sources of revenue, where the tax payer pays whether he uses the road or not

The budgetary allocation of road financing is one where the present generation pays for the benefits to be enjoyed by the future generations, whereas with the toll system of financing, future generations also pay for the benefits derived from better road facilities

Toll financing involves the floating of capital market loans and the re-payment of those loans from toll revenue. This imposes a market related discipline on public investment, which leads to better allocation of scarce resources.

Control points, such as toll plazas, have salutary effect on road users, resulting in markedly lower accident statistics on tolled road as compared with other roads.

Tolled road projects are designed in such a manner that routine maintenance and rehabilitation are taken care of throughout the life of the toll projects.

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5.0 CONCLUSION :

It is manifestly clear that

Government cannot sustainably fund all perceived road maintenance activities within a fiscal year through budgetary framework, which most times the releases are untimely and have been made off seasons.

The idea of establishing FERMA is laudable, serious thought must be given to the sustainable funding of its maintenance activities

Complementary strategies must be adopted to alleviate the funding problems for road maintenance in the country.

The economic costs of the poor state of the road network are borne mainly by the road users. Cutting back on road maintenance, therefore increases the cost of road transport and raise the net cost to the economy as a whole

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REFERENCES:

1) Engr Unuigbe C.A , “Maintenance of Federal Highways”. A paper presented at the 3-day retreat for management staff of Federal Ministry of Works held in Kaduna from the 3rd – 6th March 2005

2) Road Management and Financing in Nigeria: Proposal for Reform –Road Vision 2000 (1999)

3) Highway Maintenance Training Programmes in Nigeria (Kampasax 1980)

4) Engr Olugbekan O. , ” Road Maintenance in Nigeria”(1979)

5) Highway Maintenance in Nigeria: “Lessons from Other Countries”-(Document of the board of Directors CBN 2004)

6) Engr Bello P.A., “The Challenges of Road Maintenance In Nigeria”. A paper presented at the induction workshop for newly recruited engineers of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency held in Merit House , Abuja. 15th May 2007

7) Engr Peters O.O,. “The challenges of Road Maintenance and rehabilitation”. A paper presented at a construction seminar organized by Oando Plc at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. 15th November 2006

8) Federal Roads Maintenance Agency “Medium Term Strategy for Road Sector Maintenance Management-The Nigeria Solution “ (2007)

9) Engr Fadaka B “Private Sector Participation in Management and Financing of Roads and Highways”. A Paper presented at a Workshop Organised by World Bank in collaboration with Federal Ministry of works –On Lessons for Road Management in sub Saharan Area held at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja.3rd May 2004

10) Engr Otobo G.E. “Supervision of Roads and Bridges Construction In Nigeria ”. A Paper presented at the 24th International ABG Conference of Civil engineers and Consultants held at The Maritim Conference Hotel Braunlage, West Germany. 17th -19th May, 197

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