Governors ask FG to hand over federal roads

The governors of the 36 states have asked the federal government to give them control over some of the federal roads in their states.

This was part of their demands at the national economic council (NEC) meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa in Abuja on Thursday.

The council members had expressed concern over issues of roads construction, damage and maintenance and suggested that the ministry of power, works and housing come up with strategies to regulate the weight of heavy-duty vehicles plying the roads.

NEC also expressed willingness to take a wholistic approach on the issue of such roads across the country.

Osinbajo said federal and state governments must sit and work together.

Briefing state house correspondents after the six hours meeting, Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, said it had become clear that the federal government lacked the required funds to fix the roads.

In the past, the issue of roads have caused friction between the federal and state governments.

Recently, Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos, and Babatunde Fashola, mimister of power, works and hosuing, had a disagreement over the reconstruction of the Oshodi-International airport road.

The federal government eventually gave Lagos the permission to repair the road.