Road users passing through Shintaku in Bassa Local Government Area to Anyigba in Dekina, Kogi State, are facing a hell of a time.
Originally constructed in the 1960s, the vital road has deteriorated into a hotbed for criminal activities due to its deplorable condition.
On April 14, 2017, then-governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, launched the rehabilitation of the road.
The project was named in honour of the late Lieutenant Colonel Muhammed Ali, (the son of Etsu Bassa Nge Kingdom) who died fighting insurgents in the Northern part of the country.
Shortly after the project was flagged off, DAILY POST gathered that 21 earth-moving machines were deployed to the site.
However, only two remained as the rest were mysteriously withdrawn.
The contract was awarded to a Kano-based company. However, there were concerns regarding the company’s credibility, with claims that it lacked a notable address.
Hon. Shuaib Imam, a former Bassa Local Government Area chairman, expressed concern about the road.
“I can see the pains of our people. If you are to go to Gboloko through this road, it will take you more than two hours on a motorcycle.
“Those who ply the road every day know how to manipulate themselves to get to their destination. This road is a nightmare. I am calling on the government to urgently rehabilitate this road so that people can also feel the presence of the government,” he stated.
On February 3, 2022, the Federal Government again re-awarded the rehabilitation of Anyigba, Dekina, Shintanku road to TEC engineering Company and it was expected to be completed on or before 13th February, 2024.
The contract for the rehabilitation of the road project was valued at 65.2 billion naira, and 1 billion naira was said to be released to TEC engineering company to mobilize to site.
Despite the funds, six months after the deadline for the completion of the road project, no significant progress has been made.
DAILY POST gathered that at the very first month when the road project was awarded, TEC engineering moved their earth moving equipment to site but later evacuated them weeks later, leaving the road project in limbo.
The Shabba of Bassa, Nge Kingdom, HRM Alh. Yahaya Lerama, appealed to the federal government to as a matter of urgency come to their aid.
According to him, “The road is terribly bad. To cross the river from Ganaja village to Shintaku with vehicles, before they used to carry N3000 per vehicle, but now to cross is N8000.
“I am appealing to the government on the need to quickly intervene.”
Similarly, motorists and residents have continued to lament the poor state of the road, urging the Federal Government to revoke the contract if the contractors failed to resume work.
A motorcyclist who identified himself as Baba Dauda said, “The road is very bad. Everyday we ply this road, we must take medications.
“There is one village in this Bassa land that is already cut off. Two bikes cannot pass there except you wait for one to pass so that the other one can have access on the road.
“Movement of ten minutes will take over one hour. The road is worse now because of the rainy season.
“Many bikes and vehicles have broken down because of the bad state of the road. Let the government do the road for us to ameliorate our suffering”.
Reacting, the Federal Controller of Works in Kogi State, Engr. Olayinka Onogoye, confirmed DAILY POST findings and provided reasons for the project’s delay.
His words, “Road project is not what you will say, ‘nothing is being done’. We can say the pace of work is slow on the Anyigba-Dekina-Shintaku road
project.
“There are many factors that led to the slow pace of the road project. One of the expatriates handling the Anyigba-Dekina-Shintaku Road was kidnapped for over three months.
“The contractors had to shut down the site to ensure that their colleagues were rescued.
“The rainy season also contributed to the slow pace of work. Also, we have the issue of approved design which contributed to the slow pace of work.
“The contractor has done some level of earth-work and without ascertaining the final level, they won’t be able to do more than what is on ground. The people of Kogi State should be patient with us.
“The Minister of Works is a very hardworking person and our President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man who is ready to work and make funds available for the execution of the road project. I am assuring the public that immediately after the rainy season, the contractor will return back to site.
Despite multiple efforts, DAILY POST could not obtain a response from TEC Engineering regarding the reasons behind the abandonment of the road project.
Attempts to contact them through visits, phone calls, and text messages were unsuccessful.
Controversies, anger over delayed completion of Anyigba-Dekina-Shintaku Road