The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA which was established as an interventionist agency 10 years ago, has reduced the level of roads disrepair to about 35 percent.

This claim was made by the managing director of the Agency, Engr. Gabriel Amuchi while briefing the permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Dr. Abubakar Koro Muhammad who visited the Agency's head office in Abuja.

He explained that 10 years ago when FERMA came in being, about 75 percent of Federal roads were in poor, weak, failed or in collapsed conditions due to many years of non-maintenance. Apart from non-maintenance, the FERMA boss stated that some of the roads had out-lived their design lives.

He noted that with careful planning, prudent utilisation of resources and effective deployment of personnel to road maintenance, the Agency has reduced the level of disrepair to about 35 percent over the period.

Besides the maintenance of road carriageways and their appurtenances, Amuchi said FERMA has also invested a lot in road support services like truck parks and observation camps as well as street lighting of critical locations and bridges nationwide.

This, he said, were aimed at providing alternative parking spaces for trucks which currently park on highways and in the process, damage such facilities. The observation camps, according to him, have assisted the Federal Road Safety Commission and Nigeria Police to provide first aid services to highway accident victims, as well as check highway crime at flash points located across the country.