By Joy Onu
The Federal Government has commissioned the Itobe–Anyi
gba Road Emergency Intervention Project in Kogi State and inspected major ongoing federal road projects as part of the Federal Ministry of Works’ National Media Tour aimed at improving highway safety and accelerating infrastructure delivery nationwide.
The inspection, conducted on January 12, covered critical sections of the Abuja–Lokoja Expressway, including Section III (Abaji–Koton Karfe), and brought together stakeholders from the media, civil society organisations, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and other professional bodies.
Leading the delegation, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Dr. Abiodun Essiet, described the Abuja–Lokoja corridor as a strategic national link between Northern and Southern Nigeria. She said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved sustained funding for critical road projects and urged contractors to accelerate work while maintaining quality. She commended security agencies and host communities for supporting traffic management and disclosed that arrangements are being strengthened to allow night construction to speed up project delivery.
Providing technical updates, the Engineering Representative on the project, Engr. Zira Adamu, disclosed that eight kilometres of rigid concrete pavement and 13.8 kilometres of asphalt binder course have been completed on the Abuja–Lokoja reconstruction, with overall completion at 10.21 per cent despite 66.67 per cent of the project timeline having elapsed. He said the ₦89.88 billion project, awarded on March 24, 2022, has faced delays largely due to traffic management and security challenges.
The project is being executed by Messrs Geld Limited/Triacta (Nigeria) Limited on the Lokoja-bound carriageway and Trucrete Solutions Limited on the Abuja-bound section. The Federal Controller of Works in Kogi State, Engr. Patiko Musa, assured that additional equipment and work gangs are being deployed to accelerate progress.
A major highlight of the visit was the commissioning of the 1.6-kilometre Itobe–Ayingba Road Emergency Intervention Project, completed at a cost of ₦972 million. The project is part of the 260 emergency interventions being carried out nationwide to address critically failed inherited road sections out of over 2,064 ongoing road and bridge projects. Officials said the road is strategically important, linking key parts of Kogi State and major industrial corridors, and that the intervention has significantly improved safety and economic activities.
The scope of work included site clearance, scarification, lateritic sub-base, crushed stone base, asphaltic binder and wearing courses, drainage desilting, pothole repairs, and road markings. The project received commendations from representatives of the Kogi State Government, NSE Lokoja Branch, and host communities, who acknowledged that the intervention has reduced accidents and improved mobility.
However, at the Dualisation of Lokoja–Benin Road (Section I, Phases 1 and 2: Lokoja–Okene), Dr. Essiet expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work and urged the contractor, Messrs CCG (Nig.) Limited, to improve performance while assuring that funding issues would be addressed. Community members also raised concerns over dust pollution, prompting calls for more environmentally responsible practices.
To tackle security challenges affecting project execution, Dr. Essiet met with the Commander, 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Lokoja, Brig. Gen. Kasim Umar Sidi, who pledged 24-hour security support for construction firms upon request. Other projects inspected included the rehabilitation of Abuja–Lokoja Expressway Sections 4a and 4b and the special repair of Lokoja–Ganaja Road, while stakeholders, including the Kogi State Ministry of Works, NSE, and civil society groups, urged contractors to adhere strictly to specifications and timelines.
