Marine Road repairs in Lokoja to last eight weeks - Work Commissioner, Engr Ohere »

The ongoing massive road repairs being undertaken by the Kogi State Government through the state ministry of Works and Housing in Marine Road, Lokoja, would last for eight weeks, irrespective of the times.

The State Commissioner for Works and Housing, Engr Abubakar Ohere made the submission in an interview with newsmen in Lokoja where he said the project is important to the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello who is committed to opening up roads that would improve the economic potential of the state.

Engr Ohere said the road is important because it gives access to market and other adjoining areas, especially those using the waterways, adding that a lot of economic interests are located in the area.

He maintained that Governor Yahaya Bello is not ready to leave any area in dire need of development unattended despite the threat of the Coronavirus Pandemic, adding that his commitment is to see to improved infrastructure across the state.

“You could recall that within the first few days of the second of this administration, we embarked on a massive infrastructural development in Lokoja the capital of the state by successfully restoring movement around Ibrahim Taiwo Road, opposite SUBEB.

“It was around the same period that the attention of the ministry was drawn to another road linking our waterways and some major commercial areas essential to the people of the state – the famous Kpata Market and others.

“The Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, given his genuine concern for the people of the state, on hearing of the situation, paid an unscheduled visit to have a firsthand knowledge of the level of damage on the road.

“Though we are being slowed down by the issue of Coronavirus Pandemic currently ravaging the world coupled with the rains, thank God we have mobilised back to site in the last four days.”

He used the occasion to intimate the press that ‘Operation Zero Potholes in Lokoja the Kogi State Capital,’ which he flagged off in the early days of the current tenure was ongoing and that it is the same issue of Covid19 and the rains that have slowed down work in that regard.

“Before now, if you look at the Bishop’s Court and Ganaja Roads, you would see our intervention. And it is not just in Lokoja that we are working, we were working simultaneously in all the Local Government Areas of the state.

“We still have resident Engineers working in the field to ensure we achieve maximum results as situations improve. We will sustain the work we have been doing so far until we achieve our objectives of ensuring potholes disappear from our roads.

We hope to get back to site in full force after the Covid situation may have been over.