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The federal
government is determined to fast-track the completion of the dredging
of the lower Niger River, the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel
Company, as well as the resuscitation of the National Iron Ore Mining
Company, in Itakpe, Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday.

Speaking while
delivering an address at the official commissioning of some key
projects in Kogi State during a one-day working visit to the state
yesterday, Mr Jonathan also made a pledge to see to the completion of
the construction of ports in Baro, Lokoja, Idah, Onitsha and Sapele, to
boost our nation’s economy.

President Jonathan
said the completion of the projects “will be of immense benefit not
only to the people of Kogi State, but other Nigerians at large. I am,
therefore, committed to an early completion of these projects”.

While
congratulating the Kogi State governor, Ibrahim Idris, on the
inauguration of the international market and other projects, Mr
Jonathan said the completion of the projects will go a long way in
delivering the dividends of democracy to the electorate.

Mr Jonathan, who
arrived at the Lokoja old Stadium aboard a helicopter at 11.20am,
headed straight to the Lokoja Specialist Hospital, where he
commissioned the project. Thereafter, he proceeded to commission the
Ganaja-Ajaokuta Road, despite heavy rain fall, before inspecting the
stadium and the Lokoja water project which was constructed at a cost of
N9.9 billion and has a capacity to provide 10 million gallons of water
daily.

The president’s
final task was the commissioning of the Lokoja International Market,
which was constructed at a cost of N3.8 billion.

The governor later said that the two projects would be completed by the first quarter of 2011.

Completing the road

In an address at
the commissioning ceremony, Mr Idris urged the federal government to
revive “the Lokoja Port project, which has been abandoned, and
graciously ensure the construction of the Idah Port in order to ensure
their completion and to complement the commendable dredging project
which your administration has embarked upon”.

“I implore your
excellency to actualise Ajaokuta project to incorporate all the major
components and ensure the full realisation of this project. If you can
do this sir, your name will be in gold when the history of this nation
shall be written for posterity,” he said.

While also thanking the president for the ongoing dualisation of the
Abuja-Lokoja-Okene Road, Mr Idris said, “we, however, appeal to your
excellency to use your good offices to fast-track the completion of the
project, to reduce the high incidence of road accidents which has
consumed so many lives”.