FERMA engages 50 Sokoto youths for road maintenance

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has engaged 50 youths from the Yabo and Sanyinna communities in Sokoto State to carry out routine maintenance on federal roads under its Operation Safeguard the Road (OSGR-II) programme.

The initiative, launched along the Jaredi-Kebbi border road, aims to improve road conditions, enhance visibility for motorists and reduce accidents.

Federal Road Maintenance Engineer in Sokoto, Jamilu Sidi, said the programme combines road safety with job opportunities for young people living along federal highways.

“The idea is to maintain road safety and engage youths, particularly indigenes of the affected communities, in safeguarding our roads,” Sidi said. “Today, we are engaging 50 youths drawn from Yabo and Sanyinna for a one-month programme, thereby providing employment opportunities for them.”

The youths will clear roadside vegetation and perform other maintenance tasks throughout the month under FERMA supervision. Sidi urged them to work diligently and noted that this is the second phase of the programme. The first phase was carried out in 2025 along the Sokoto-Niger Republic border road in Sabon Birni Local Government Area.

Federal Consultant on Works, Malam Kasim Maigwandu, described the intervention as an important step toward safer federal highways and said the Federal Ministry of Works would continue to support the effort.

District Head of Sanyinna, Alhaji Muhammad Sani, welcomed the programme, saying it would help protect lives and property while giving local youths economic opportunities.