The immediate past governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada, in the twilight of his administration, inaugurated the N1.6 billion Mega Bus Terminal in Lokoja, the state capital.
The project, which aim is to improve the revenue base of the state, has put the state on the map of West Africa as one of the largest bus terminals, both in scope and content.
Apart from the revenue yielding purpose, the new mega terminal will also provide employment opportunity for youths who have been left on the streets with no job opportunities.
Wada, while commissioning the project sited at Felele, on the outskirts of Lokoja, on the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway, affirmed that the new terminal, which has the capacity of holding 1000 buses at a time, would significantly impact on the economy of the state and bring sanity on the roads.
The terminal, he said, would decongest the bus stops, especially those on the highways, which had constituted hazard to commuters.
“This phenomenon elsewhere has worked and helped in improving the revenue base of the state and at least provided employment opportunity to some youths of the state,” he noted.
The former governor, further pointed out that the current sharp fall in the price of crude oil at the international market and the subsequent dwindling in the allocation from the federation account to states across the country, called for more initiatives to source for ways of generating revenue by the three tiers of government to survive.
Wada also gave the assurance that the new mega terminal will eliminate arbitrary parking of vehicles along the highways and reduction of traffic congestion in Lokoja, the state capital.
He disclosed that the project would be managed through Public Private Partnership (PPP) that would enhance profit, the aim for which it was built.
The former governor also commissioned the Kogi State Interstate/Intercity Bus Transport Service, aimed at boosting transportation within and outside the state at affordable cost.
Commissioning the terminal, the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, noted that the park was 25 per cent bigger than that of Ondo and would be a money spinner if properly managed.
He called on the state government to expand avenues for revenue generation by properly managing the venture.
Earlier in his welcome address, the former transport commissioner, Abdulrahaman Wuya, urged the judicious utilisation of the facility to justify government’s huge investment on it.
He commended the contractor that handled the project for delivering it in good
Credit: Leadership
