Rafindadi: Redefining leadership in FERMA

Kunle Adams, not real name, was screaming deep down underneath as a result of the fatal accident he had along Benin-Ore Trunk-A road eight years ago which is under the management of the federal government of Nigeria. However, the more he screamed, calling on people to come to his rescue, the more onlookers kept using all the available means to get him out of the already terribly damaged car due the fatal accident he had on the highly deplorable roads. In the midst of all this tragic-comedy, a passersby who couldn’t hide his anger as a result of what he went through many years ago, losing a family of six through road accident, was so angry that he called on the Nigerian government to introduce good policies to ensure that proper things are put in place in order to guarantee safety of lives and property on Nigerian highways which was a death trap before the coming into power of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Conversely, thanks to the present Buhari government that has prioritise road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of the already existing Trunk-A roads across the 36 state of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Honestly, cases of accident due to the deplorable condition of roads in Nigeria before now were indeed a very pathetic and alarming. One may be right to say that news of accidents, claiming the lives of Nigeria’s highly valuable citizens before now, was a daily occurrence. But, since the present government of Buhari decided to engage men of vision, dream, filled with technocratic sprit and integrity to manage the affairs of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, the minister of works and housing that’s in-charge of all federal roads across Nigeria, no doubt, tremendous landmark impact and achievements had been recorded in regards to road construction across every segments of Nigeria, reason behind the drastic reductions of roads accident in Nigeria presently. No doubt, Babatunde Fashola made serious impact in the Trunk-A roads sector, but then there is another highly technocratic personality who is excellently piloting the affairs of a very pertinent agency under the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. He has, indeed and in all ramifications recorded earth-shaking achievements within his few years of piloting the affairs of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) which cannot be forgotten in a hurry. He is Engr. Abdurahaman Nurudeen Rafindadi, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FERMA. Like a thorough bred and renowned national and international award winning engineer, Rafindadi stepped in to pilot the affairs of FERMA with a clearly defined blue-print and vision. The blue-print no doubt is greatly transforming all the Trunk-A roads across the 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT.

To say Engineer Rafindadi is ably qualified to pilot the affairs of FERMA is as good as asking an Artillery War commander whether he or she knows how to operate AK47 bazooka gun. Rafindadi is over 100% competent to pilot the affairs of FERMA reasons for the tremendous achievements he has so well recorded within his three years of piloting the affairs of FERMA. He is by every ticking of the clock using his professional wealth of knowledge and skills to ensure that all the federal roads are well repaired and maintained to ensure smooth ride and accident free for commuters across Nigeria. His achievements range from the upgrade of the infrastructural sectors within the agency’s office complexes both at the headquarters and zonal. He is also prioritizing staff welfare in order to boost the morale of the staff to enable them give in their best to ensure good and motorable roads across Nigeria. Among his land-mark achievements which could not totally be highlighted here due to space constraints are; the recent repairs and maintenance of Trunk-A roads linking Abuja to Jos, Plateau state, Benue-Enugu, as well as Plateau-Bauchi-Gombe enrooting Adamawa to Maiduguri and Taraba state. Maintenance and repairs of the well-known Abuja-Lokoja road has also been given face-lift as well as from Lokoja to Edo state, Benin, Ore-Oun, down to Lagos and Lokoja to Enugu, to Abia, Imo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom down to Bayelsa state.

Once more, unlike in the past that it took roads users un-ending hours to get to their destination especially those traveling with vehicles from Abuja to Niger state, Kwara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, down to Katsina and Sokoto states, etc, presently, all those hitches and challenges as a result of potholes and deplorable conditions of Trunk-A roads have become things of the past in view of tremendous repairs and maintenance carried out by the management of FERMA as piloted by the workaholic MD/CEO of the agency in person of Engineer Rafindadi. Many who are conversant with the leadership prowess of Rafindadi were never taken by surprise in regards to his earthshaking achievements. This is because they have known him so well to be a man that can use every available means when given a task to ensure that he bequeaths noble legacies that can stand the test of time. A very good example was when he was the National President of the Association of Consulting Engineers in Nigeria (ACEN). Till date, his impact as the president of the association is still ringing a bell in the hearts of many Nigerians. He also served on the Board of NIMASA where his contemporaries rated him as best among equals. This is why many who are aware of his immeasurable earthshaking achievements were surprised to hear that some disgruntled elements that are envious of his achievements across borders and especially in FERMA where he is currently serving as MD/CEO were so disappointed to hear that; they are plotting his downfall. Well, we live in a society where those who are ready to use their positions of authority to better the lots of the society are always used as sacrificial lamb by the enemies of progress. To such people, I implore them to instead channel their resources by joining hands with Rafindadi so that together we can have good Trunk-A Roads across Nigeria, devoid of political affiliations, religion, ethnicity or tribes.

Oche writes from Abuja.