GYB's Transformation of Kogi State: Ganaja Flyover and Civic Centre: Is it their Cost, Size or the Unprecedented Value?

By:

Farouk Ozigi Onimisi

(For: Commissioner Ohere)

Research shows that when right hands are elected and appointed as political leaders, countries often experience higher standards of living with positive developments in education, infrastructure, and health care.

It turns out that advancing equal opportunity and economic empowerment is both morally right and good economics, because discrimination, poverty and ignorance restrict growth, while investments in education, infrastructure and scientific and technological research increase it, creating more good jobs and new wealth for all of us. 

As GYB continues to advance in infrastructural development of Kogi State, here is to critically evaluate the aesthetic values of three of her recent achievements, Ganaja Flyover, Buhari Civic Centre and Road Networks in Lokoja, the state's capital.

Flyover is an important road structure mostly built on intersections to carry away the uninterrupted traffic, mostly in urban areas. In order to curb the transportation problems in Lokoja, capital city of Kogi State, the GYB-led administration is constructing a Ganaja Flyover nearing its completion at the major intersection of the city. Is it about the cost, length or the socioeconomic value?

According to the Honourable Commissioner for Works and Housing, Hon. (Egnr.) Abubakar Ohere (FNSE), "apart from its socioeconomic importance , Ganaja Flyoverlyover is about crisis resolution when you looked at the strategic challenges the location subject both motorists and pedestrians to." 

When you look at Ganaja junction and what it used to be in terms of traffic, it is not what any human being will want to witness. It was very horrible and that of course had affected economic activities until GYB, the Infrastructural Governor settled for its flyover. 

With the quality of work done so far on Ganaja Flyover, the state government is happy that it was getting value for the money spent on the project. Upon its completion, the over thirty minutes traffic jam in Ganaja junction would have been reduced considerably. This is what we called development. Look at how Ganaja Flyover is transforming the city of Lokoja. 

On the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre ready for commissioning, GYB has overcome joblessness by creating a social contract between the public and private sectors. Is it about cost, size or unification identity? Gov. Yahaya Bello's intent in this incredible project is borne out of the decaying Infrastructural deficits Kogi State was subjected to. Put succinctly, the decaying Infrastructure of our city in urgent need for repair and restoration has been critically addressed by the youthful and dutiful Governor Yahaya Bello.

On the number of improvement upon Kogi roads especially in the state capital, GYB has addressed the dwindling rapture of a miscontrued state capital. Paying attention to this critical need, he charged the state's Commissioner for Works and Housing to bring out moudles of operandi towards beautifying the state. The achievements are what we are celebrating today. This aestheticism was supported with the construction of Ganaja Flyover. If only you can imagine the number of investors already trooping to Kogi State. 

Looking at the available land mass of Lokoja after the water body has taken nearly half of it coupled with the sorrounding mountains and hills, the best any good administrator can do is to invest on strategic infrastructures that takes the peculiarities of our location into consideration. This is what GYB has done.

Furthermore, looking at the flooding challenges and even the ones occassioned by heavy storm water in Kogi State, GYB’s drains perfectly addressed these by the construction of road networks and the Ganaja Flyover with engineering specifics that openly addressed these menace. Indeed, GYB has improved transportation infrastructure, created economic development, puts people back to work and, most important, enhanced safety and improved local communities.

According to Commissioner Ohere, "in all of the projects apart from addressing specifics, they are generally designed for a greater value that addressed every kogites mind "UNITY".

There is therefore no doubt that when all ongoing projects are completed and put into use, definitely, infrastructures that produced 2 Teaching Hospitals and about 7 Specialist Hospitals, over 200 classrooms for primary schools, in addition to numbers of Model Science Secondary Schools ( 1 in Lokoja) , birthed a Confluence University of Science and Technology, other tertiary institutions facilities, township roads network at Ankpa, Okene, Kabba, Lokoja & 55kms Anyigba to Idah highway, Ibano-Ette-Oppo-Ogugu road, Police Sq Hqs office, the beautiful Revenue House, Lokoja, electrifications and street lighting components, etc. may have truly transformed and will continue to improve our local economy as a State. Indeed, the cost, size and unprecedented value of these magnificent projects summed up the interest of Kogi people considering the current economic hardship rocking the nation. 

GYB- Akoro… wa me' etetere, sir. I only mentioned few of your projects as I believed, commissioning time will reveal more. 

Kogi Ministry of Works and Housing, I hail una too. Weldone for a quality job. Work done so far: excellent.