The Kogi State Government has dismissed claims that the construction and rehabilitation of the Kabba–Iluke–Bunu Road is a World Bank-funded project, insisting that the intervention is entirely financed by the state government under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
The Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, made the clarification at a press conference, where he addressed what he described as deliberate misrepresentation surrounding the 38-kilometre road project.
According to the Commissioner, the project followed years of public outcry over the deplorable condition of the road, which has continued to affect motorists and residents within the Kabba/Bunu axis.
He explained that following complaints from the people, the Kogi State Government commissioned a comprehensive survey and engineering design of the entire corridor about 12 months ago.
The technical assessment, he said, revealed that the condition of the road was beyond rehabilitation, leading to a professional recommendation for the total construction of the 38-kilometre road.
Hon. Jones further stated that the Kogi State Government, through the Ministry of Works, recently advertised the project in national newspapers under an Open Competitive Bidding process for qualified contractors.
He noted that the advertisement also covers other major road projects, including the Idah–Onyédega Road in Ibaji Local Government Area and the Odenyi–Oguma–Sheria Road in Bassa Local Government Area.
The Commissioner commended Governor Ododo for responding to the long-standing demands of the people of Kabba/Bunu and described the road as a critical intervention that would improve connectivity and ease transportation within the area.
He also appealed to those attempting to politicise the project to desist, saying the people should be allowed to benefit from the development without unnecessary controversy over who deserves credit.
Hon. Wemi Jones said the Kogi State Government remains committed to delivering the project and other infrastructure interventions aimed at improving the lives of citizens across the state.
