After a long period, Kogi State will own its house like states in the country which have houses in Abuja named after them – Kogi House.
Kogi State was created since 1991 but it has not been able to develop the plot of land allotted to it in Abuja by the Federal Government.
But the ground breaking for the Kogi House was performed last year August by the administration of Governor Idris Wada thereby breaking the jinx of not developing the plot.
Our reporter who visited the site observed that the concrete and structural works of the building have reached 70 percent as it has reached the seventh floor.
Speaking with our reporter, the site supervisor, Kanpos Yang said with the space work, the concrete and structural works will be completed by October ending. He said now, it remains about only 30 percent promising that the project will be completed on schedule.
“The project is solid because we’re doing quality job for the Kogi State government and its people, he said,” adding that the Abuja Development Control Department and other control bodies have certified the work good.
“Now, we work on the eighth floor and by the end of October I believe we would complete the project. The work is very solid and all the materials used for the building are imported from China.
As you can see, all the materials that we’ll use to finish the building are already on ground,” he said.
Also speaking on the project, the Managing Director, Kogi State Property limited, Dr. Moses Okino said the project is moving at a fast space and will be completed on schedule.
“We’re on the seventh floor now and we believe that by the time the next part of the bond is approved for the state, we would be able to carry the concrete and the structural work to the 11th floor by December. They are doing quality job,” he assured.
In his words, “So far so good the government has been funding the project well hence we don’t have the challenge of fund. The state government has been releasing funds as at when due and at the pace the project is going, we’ll be able to complete it on schedule.”
He said the building which will comprise a five-star 89 apartments/rooms and 23 nos. office/commercial accommodation will boost the internally generated revenue of the state, especially now with the dwindling oil price and state allocation and also generate employment.
Governor Idris Wada had during the ground breaking said, “Our goal for this project is to seize and indeed capitalise on the shortage of quality and appropriate housing and commercial accommodation needs in Abuja to our advantage.
“It’s my belief that this project will chart a course towards the improvement of housing and commercial accommodation, generate employment and revenue both for Kogi State government and the Federal Capital Territory [Administration]”
The 11-storey building under construction is under Public Private Partnership (PPP) between the Kogi State government and Kaibo International Nigeria limited, a firm from China.
The project located in Abuja Central Business District is to gulp N2.2 billion and has two-year completion period.
Under the PPP, the Kogi State government provides 80 percent of the investment while the PPP partners, Kaibo Engineering Holdings Limited brings 20 percent making the investment ratio 4:1.
On completion, the Chinese firm will manage the property to recoup its share of the investments.
