Good news hit the people of Kogi State yesterday as the Federal executive council (FEC) approved the sum of N2 billion for the completion of Lokoja, Kogi State inland river port.
The N2 billion was revised as the cost to complete an inland river port in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.
Ms Gbemisola Saraki, disclose the development yesterday while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buahri.
She said “The Ministry of Transportation presented a memo to council for approval of revised estimate total cost for the completion of the construction of an inland river port in Jemata-Akpanya, Lokoja, Kogi State.
“This project actually started eight years ago, and was supposed to have been completed within a year and half but unfortunately due ti some complications, owing to the fact that the location had been incumbered, the project stalled and is now been revived,” he said.
She further said that N6.4 billion is total sum of the project when completed.
Omokoshaban learnt that these same project was first awarded to Messers Foby Engineering Ltd at the cost of N2.3 billion in 2007 and a mobilisation fee of N800 million was paid.
But due to the alleged inability of the contractor to perform, the contract was revoked, revised and subsequently re-awarded in the second quarter of 2012 to another company, Inter-Bau Construction Ltd, at the cost of N4.112 billion.
The administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who re-awarded the contract, gave 57 weeks as the expected period for the completion of the project. But four years after the project was re-awarded, the Lokoja port is yet to be completed and put to use. Briefing journalists after the contract was re-awarded, the then minister of information, Labaran Maku, indicated that the project, when completed, would open up “full blown economic activities in line with the transformation agenda of the federal government”.
“The process of evacuating agricultural produce, petroleum products, bulk cargoes and distribution of essential import items through the inland waterways will be given a boost.
“The federal government also envisages that the projects would stimulate increase in employment while improving the socio-economic development of the area. The overall effectiveness of inland waterway transportation system will be put to test while the socio-economic activities of communities will also be enhanced,” Maku said.
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