Following the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) approval of a ₦43 billion contract for the first phase of the Ilorin–Omuaran–Egbe road, Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) has moved to quell confusion and assure constituents that the development does not negate his efforts to facilitate rehabilitation of the Kogi end of the project.
The FEC approval, announced by Minister of Works Dave Umahi, covers a 31-kilometre stretch from the Kwara State end, designated as Phase One of the road. This sparked concerns among Kogi West residents who had expected the long-abandoned project, originally flagged off in 2014, to restart from the Kogi side.
In a statement released on Friday, Senator Karimi’s media team clarified that the ₦43 billion approval relates to a section of the road that has been ongoing since the previous administration and only recently secured approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
Crucially, the statement confirmed that the senator’s facilitated effort—the rehabilitation of the section starting from Isanlu, Yagba East, towards Egbe—is still active. This phase, which has ₦9 billion included in the 2025 budget, is currently undergoing its own BPP approval process, which involves a review of contract prices and design, with an estimated total cost of ₦25 billion.
“We encourage all the people of Kogi West… to rest assured that the senator is not relenting on the project,” the statement read, adding that the upcoming FEC approval for the Isanlu section will address current concerns about the non-release of funds to contractors.
Minister Umahi had explained on Thursday that the 216 kilometre Ilorin–Omuaran–Egbe road would be executed in phases, with the 31 kilometres under Phase One being awarded for 143 billion.
Senator Karimi’s intervention seeks to reassure constituents that the focus remains on securing the full rehabilitation of the road, which is vital for the economic activities of the area.
