The Onu of Bagana in Kogi State, Chief Ali Haruna, has said the people of the Bagana in Kogi State and Guto in Nassarawa communities are disappointed with the pace of work on the Bagana/Guto bridge and stressed that the project, which was supposed to be completed within two years, has not gone far three years after the project commenced.
Chief Haruna expressed reservations with the role of the elected politicians from the area, who he said, have not shown any commitment towards the early completion of the abandoned bridge and appealed to the Federal Government to assist.
The new two-kilometre bridge, when completed, is expected to link Guto in Nasarawa State with Bagana community in neighbouring Kogi State.
Addressing reporters at the abandoned bridge, the traditional ruler of the Guto, Chief Ahmed Guto, said the project is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project between the Federal Government, Kogi/Nasarawa state governments and a Chinese company, Digital Toll, at a ratio of 20/20/60.
“Even if it means taking this project away from the Chinese, the Federal Government should do something because since they got the concession, they have not committed any fund into it apart from the initial part-payment made by the Federal Government, Kogi and Nasarawa state governments”.
Indigenes of two communities in Kogi and Nasarawa states have appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the crisis that led to the stoppage of work on the Bagana/Guto bridge.
