Emmanuel Oluwakorede
Kogi State Government has expressed delight over the commencement of work on the Lokoja-Shintaku-Dekina-Ayingba road.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Federal Projects Implementation, Chief Emmanuel Obasi, who stated this when he paid a visit to the site, commended the Contractor, Mssr. TEC Engineering Limited for returning to the site to continue the road projects.
He said the one hundred and thirty four point two kilometres road project was awarded to Mssr. TEC Engineering Ltd in February 2022 with a two-year duration but less than zero point one percent of the work had been completed by the time of the assessment visit with about three percent of the contract sum released to the contractor.
According to him, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, upon assumption of office, paid courtesy visits to the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja to appeal to the Minister of Works, David Umahi to address the dilapidated state of many federal roads in the state and consider initiating new projects which has yielded positive results.
Chief Obasi stated that to get value for money spent by the Federal Government, the Governor has directed that his office should collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure that contractors do the needful.
He restated the readiness of the present administration in creating an enabling environment to carry out their projects for the benefit of the people of the State.
“On July 9, 2024, the Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON, announced that the Federal Government has finalized discussions with Julius Berger Plc on alternative financing for the construction of the Lokoja-Shintako Bridge. This decision was made during a meeting with Julius Berger’s Business Development Strategist, Filipe Nuno Lopes, and development partners Deutsche Bank Africa. This development indicates significant milestone for the people of Kogi State in general and Kogi East in particular, under the leadership of His Excellency Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, FCA.”
Chief Obasi also assessed the Dekina-Olowa-Abocho-Ugbabo road project and the section from Odenyi Y-Junction to Oguma, where no work has commenced along those axes.
