The Kogi State Executive Council has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his developmental strides across the country, singling out the ongoing reconstruction of the Abuja-Lokoja-Okene-Benin Highway as a standout achievement.
The commendation came at the end of the State Executive Council meeting held on Monday in Lokoja and presided over by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Governor Ododo praised the pace and quality of work on the highway, calling it a major infrastructure intervention that would strengthen connectivity between the North Central and South-South geopolitical zones. He said its completion would ease the movement of people, goods and services, stimulate trade and investment, and open new economic opportunities for communities along the corridor.
Broad Council Approvals
Beyond the highway commendation, the Council approved a wide range of contracts and policy initiatives spanning road construction and rehabilitation, agriculture, education, housing, healthcare, public communication and institutional development.
In the information sector, the Council approved the renovation of the Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation (KSBC) headquarters in Lokoja, along with the installation of solar power systems at the Corporation’s radio stations in Ocheja and Okene. It also approved a Quarterly Media Briefing by the Ministry of Information and Communications to keep the public regularly updated on government policies, programmes and achievements.
The Executive Council further moved to reposition lottery, signage and food administration through new legislation.
Agriculture and Food Security
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojoma, said the Council approved and ratified support for farmers through the procurement of fertilisers, agricultural chemicals and other essential farm inputs, an intervention intended to sustain food production through the wet and dry seasons.
Ojoma also disclosed that Kogi had made significant progress toward the take-off of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ), backed by the African Development Bank. He said the necessary studies, qualification processes and approvals had been completed, with land preparation and site allocation already under way. He described the programme as a major opportunity for the state, noting that Kogi was being prioritised for the zone amid competition from other states, and said it would strengthen agricultural value chains, attract investment and reduce post-harvest losses.
The Commissioner added that strategic road projects in parts of Ibaji, Bassa and Kabba-Bunu Local Government Areas had also received attention, to improve access for moving agricultural produce to processing centres and markets. He said the state was also working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Bank of Agriculture on initiatives including plans for poultry and egg production centres across the state’s 21 local government areas.
Housing, Health and the New Airport
The Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Taiye Abanika, said the Council approved construction of Phase Two of students’ hostel accommodation at the Confluence University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital in Okene, along with furniture for the accommodation and doctors’ quarters, to support students progressing into clinical training.
Abanika also updated journalists on the Kogi International Airport project, saying construction had commenced with site clearing, mobilisation of equipment and work on the perimeter fencing already under way. He said the necessary certificates had been obtained and that the airport, once completed, would improve connectivity and create new opportunities for investment and economic development.
The Council also approved implementation of the End Care Programme, which will provide welfare support to more than 5,000 indigent residents across the state. Abanika said implementation would commence soon.
The Kogi State Executive Council reaffirmed its commitment to programmes and projects aimed at improving living conditions, strengthening infrastructure, promoting food security and expanding economic opportunities across the state.
