Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
The Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Finance, Hon. Idris Shuaib, has reaffirmed the Kogi State Government’s commitment to due process, international standards, and stakeholder collaboration in the execution of the Airport Project and other major infrastructure initiatives in the state.
Welcoming members of the Sukuk Project Monitoring Team and other stakeholders on Tuesday in Lokoja, Hon. Shuaib revealed that a crucial stakeholders’ meeting was held in Abuja about two weeks ago.
The meeting brought together partners involved in the Airport and International Market projects to familiarise themselves with the project environment, align expectations, and explore non-interest financing options for key infrastructure development in the state.
He explained that significant groundwork has already been completed, including feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, and social responsibility evaluations, all conducted in line with international standards.
According to him, these processes were deliberately undertaken to ensure sustainability, safety, and maximum socio-economic benefits for the people of Kogi State and the North Central region as a whole.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and the Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Shuaib stressed that the projects are being implemented strictly for the socio-economic advancement of the people, adding that transparency and accountability remain the administration’s guiding principles.
Providing an update on the Airport Project, the Lead Engineer from the Kogi State Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Achem Enemakwu, disclosed that the project has successfully passed the design stage and is now set to move into full construction following government approval of the bidding process.
He noted that the airport design was completed last year, while the bidding process for construction is currently ongoing. Engr. Enemakwu further revealed that Governor Ododo has approved the commencement process and made a budgetary provision of N50 billion for the project in the current fiscal year.
The airport, he said, occupies approximately 4,000 hectares of land and is expected to be completed within two years.
He expressed optimism that construction activities could begin as early as next month.
Also speaking, a team from One17 Financial Services Ltd, led by Senior Analyst Kamil Isah Shuaib, stated that the collaboration between the Kogi State Government, One17 Financial Services, and Ava Capital is aimed at exploring non-interest financing structures that offer flexible and competitive funding options.
He added that the presence of the Head of Sharia Advisory (Sukuk Bond) is to ensure the project’s compliance with non-interest financing standards, thereby making it attractive to investors seeking long-term, flexible investment opportunities.
The team also visited the ongoing International Market project, where the Head of Sharia Advisory (Sukuk Bond), Thanni Mustakeem, expressed satisfaction with the level of work done and commended the state government’s commitment. He indicated his company’s readiness to partner further with the state.
Similarly, the Site Engineer for the International Market project, Engr. Omojola Benjamin of SABC Ltd, expressed appreciation for the monitoring team’s visit and assured that the project would be delivered within the stipulated timeframe.
