The Traffic

🚧 New Dawn for Ajaokuta: Gov. Ododo Flags Off 12.5km Road to Unlock Economic Potential

Ajaokuta Local Government Area is set to witness a major transformation as Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, on Tuesday officially launched the construction of the 12.5km Unosi–Odonto–Ogiri road.

Speaking at a vibrant flag-off ceremony in Ogiri, Governor Ododo described the project as a game-changer that will connect rural communities to bigger towns and markets, boost trade, and ignite fresh opportunities for growth.

“This is the beginning of the end of your transportation challenges,” the governor assured, noting that the initiative — a partnership between the Kogi State Government and the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) — will open rural corridors and link several cluster markets.

He highlighted that this project is just one piece of a much larger vision, with ongoing construction covering 125km of rural roads in Kogi East, 105km in Kogi Central, and 124km in Kogi West. “Rural roads are the arteries of progress — and delivering them is at the heart of our agenda,” he added, urging residents to take ownership of the project to protect it for future generations.

For the Chairman of Ajaokuta Local Government, Alhaji Haruna Ogido, this road is more than asphalt and gravel: “It’s a lifeline,” he said, emphasizing its role in connecting 10 of the LGA’s 14 wards while improving residents’ quality of life. He also praised the governor’s security interventions along the Ajaokuta–Okene corridor, which have curtailed kidnapping incidents.

Hon. Sani Egidi Abdurrahim, Member representing Ajaokuta Federal Constituency, hailed the governor’s decision to locate the only North Central free trade zone in Ajaokuta. He expressed relief that a road which had been a fixture in state budgets for over 30 years — yet never constructed — was finally becoming reality.

RAAMP’s National Coordinator, Engr. Aminu Bodinga Mohammed, revealed that the road’s sustainability is built into the plan, with the local community set to take part in its upkeep through a token maintenance fee. Upon completion, he said, the project will guarantee uninterrupted access to markets, healthcare, and agricultural distribution networks.

He further thanked the project’s development partners — the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Federal Project Monitoring Unit — for their invaluable support.

With heavy equipment now rumbling to life, Ajaokuta stands on the brink of an economic revival, powered by better roads and bolder visions.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna