Kogi,China to scale up business relationship in Transport, infrastructure dev’t ...Moves to makes Kogi industrial hub of north

By ABUBAKAR YUNUSA YOU

The Kogi State Government and the Chinese Construction giant, CCECC have met to finalize arrangements to scale up business relationships in the areas of planning, financing and execution of transport infrastructure in the state.

In a meeting held at the headquarters of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation along Airport Road, Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Officer of the Kogi

State Investment Promotion and Public Private Partnership Agency, Abdulkareem Siyaka who led the government’s delegation disclosed that the first line of business upscaling and partnership is the construction of Inland Transit Port in Lokoja to link Warri - Burutu/Port Harcourt via Onitsha. This he said will rapidly develop the movement of agricultural produce and solid mineral cargo to and from northern and southern Nigeria.

He said the partnership was in line with the Kogi State’s mediumterm economic development goals which within a 5-year time frame will want to rapidly develop her infrastructure outlay, citing transport infrastructure as the bedrock of economic development.

Speaking to journalists at the end of their meeting, Abdulkareem said the upgrade of Adogo Airstrip to a commercial Cargo Airport to facilitate growth in cross-border trade and investment and boost real sector productivity was discussed.

Another infrastructure to be executed under the partnership is the construction of Electrified

Rail Project between Jeba and Lokoja This will reduce haulage costs within Nigeria by freeing excess pressure on road transport infrastructure.

Speaking on the business models, Abdulkareem stated that Kogi State is in the process of building its economy from a conservative civil service state to an Industrial giant in northern Nigeria.

He said the ‘Build -OperateTransfer’ model or similar model that will be economical for both parties would be ideal while involving the Federal Government to provide sovereign guarantees including counterpart funding in any or all the projects. oted that the Kogi State Government has been a friendly business partner of CCECC over the years with mutual understanding and benefits.

On his part, the Deputy Managing Director of CCECC, Guo Wenjun commended the state government for its vision while expressing readiness for the relationship.

By Stanley Onyekwere

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the National Assembly to fast-track the process of establishing the Outdoor Advertisement and Signage for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as an agency to institutionalized its mode of operation.

The Vice President of NANS, Mr Victor Ezanagu, who made the call at a news conference, yesterday in Abuja, noted that the establishment of the agency by the National Assembly would free its operation from external interference.

Ezanagu dismissed the called for the disbandment of the Federal Capital Territory Administration Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS), as such would return the FCT to the “days of unkempt environment”.

He added that DOAS served