Senate Backs Inclusion of Kogi-East Road in Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Infrastructure Projects

The Senate has resolved to include the Anyigba–Dekina–Shintaku road in Kogi-East Senatorial District among projects to be funded under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund.

This decision followed the adoption of a motion moved by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC–Kogi East) during Wednesday’s plenary session.

In his motion, Jibrin said the inclusion of the road had become necessary because it links communities in Lokoja, the Federal Capital Territory, the South-East, and South-South geopolitical zones.

He expressed concern that the road had long remained in a deplorable state, forcing most motorists to take the longer Lokoja–Ajaokuta–Anyigba route.

According to him, “The Federal Executive Council had, at its meeting held in January 2022, approved the award of the contract for the reconstruction of the road. The then Federal Ministry of Works and Housing awarded the contract to Tech Engineering Company Nigeria Limited on Feb. 3, 2022. But the contract was recently revoked due to delays in execution by the contractor and has not yet been re-awarded.”

Jibrin said the federal government’s innovative approach to infrastructure development, through special funding windows such as Sukuk bonds, provided a credible alternative financing mechanism for the project.

Corroborating his submission, the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC–Borno), supported the call for the road to be included in the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund projects of the Tinubu administration.

Following deliberations, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Works to consider deploying a special purpose fund for the completion of the road.

It also called for the establishment of toll gates at both ends of the road upon completion, to generate revenue that would help defray construction costs and sustain maintenance.