By Ahmed Dan Asabe Lokoje
The Kogi State Government has officially commenced the construction of a new Ultra Modern Market in Lokoja, the state capital. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo handed over the site to the construction firm, Sazaz Acres Biloque Company (SABC) Limited, marking the beginning of the project.
According to the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Taiye Abanika, the project is part of the governor's determination to urbanize the state and make it more investment-friendly. The market, which will be constructed on 25 hectares of land, is expected to be completed within 36 months and will feature modern facilities to drive development in the state.
Abanika emphasized that the state government placed a high value on getting value for money, hence the thorough due diligence conducted on the construction company before awarding the contract. "The governor places high premium on the development of the state. The market will open up development in the area, create jobs for the people, and speed up development in the confluence state," he said.
The Commissioner for Works, Engr. Muhammed Ahovi Yusuf, charged the construction company to adhere strictly to the drawings and specifications contained in the Bill of Quantity, warning that the government would not condone any substandard work. He noted that Governor Ododo is committed to the urbanization of the state and opening up of rural areas to bring development closer to the people.
The construction company, represented by Abdulrazaq Aliyu, assured that the project would be delivered within the specified period of 36 months. "We want to assure the Kogi state government that we are going to work within the context of the contractual agreement. We will deliver the job within the specified period of 36 months," he said.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, described the project as the last leg of the Lokoja Urban Renewal Project (LURP). According to him, the Ododo administration is committed to ensuring that Lokoja looks like a 21st-century state capital. "Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is committed to ensuring that we have a capital city that is safe, beautiful, and ready for business," he said.
Fanwo noted that the new Ultra Modern Market would help to relocate the seven smaller markets in Lokoja under one roof, making the city cleaner and safer. He also disclosed that the present International Market would be converted into government warehouses and a commodity exchange commission.
The commissioner emphasized that the government is ready to leverage the strategic location of the state for maximum commercial benefits, saying the Ultra Modern Market would turn Kogi into the commercial hub of Nigeria when completed. "It's not like the normal market that Nigerians are used to," he said, adding that "the model will be copied by many other states."
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Infrastructure