The Kogi State Government has approved the sum of N 450 million counterpart funds for the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
The State Commissioner for rural development, Hon Daniel Oniel, made the declaration at a press briefing at the end of the executive council meeting in Lokoja.
Hon Oniel noted that the project would see many feeder roads, 503 KM asphalt roads and other projects to connect rural dwellers to the cities and drive the economy of the state through agriculture.
Speaking earlier, the state commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon Kingsley Fanwo, had informed journalists that council had approved the construction of two special general hospitals in Gegu, Kogi Local Government Area and Ajaokuta in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of the state.
The health projects, he notes, were to ensure that one of the key thematic areas of the new direction agenda was met through improved well being for ordinary citizens of the state.
Similarly, Hon Fanwo said as the Flyover Bridge Project is being carried out at the popular Ganaja Junction in Lokoja, the state capital, the government has directed that alternative routes be made available to the people, especially those plying roads within the capital.
“In that regard, the council has directed the state ministry of works to ensure that the alternative roads are made available to ameliorate the hardship that could be occasioned by the ongoing project. The directive is to ensure that the state capital does not experience gridlock as a result.
“In addition, the rehabilitation of the roads in Lokoja is to make the state capital beautiful because it is the nodal city of the country, hence the need to create a good impression about Kogi as motorists ply the roads from all parts of Nigeria,” he concluded.