By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo on Monday in Lokoja stressed the readiness of the state government to construct Ultra Modern Market in Lokoja the state capital.
In a press statement issued to Journalists in Lokoja, Fanwo said Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo is committed to ensuring that Lokoja looks like a 21st century State capital adding that the project is the last leg of the Lokoja Urban Renewal Project (LURP).
“Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is committed to ensuring that we have a capital city that is safe, beautiful and ready for business. The previous administration succeeded in having a single motor park for the capital city which is quite commendable.”
The statement also stressed the committed of the governor to ensuring that all the 7 smaller markets in Lokoja are brought under one roof through the new Lokoja Ultra Modern Market. This will help us in having a cleaner and safer Lokoja.
“Those who conceived the International Market didn’t know that Lokoja will grow this big and become Nigeria’s connecting point. We have recorded a lot of accidents and Nigerians have lost so many loved ones because it was located at the intersection of two major roads.”
“The Kogi State Government will move all the markets to the new Ultra Modern Market and convert the present International Market to Government Warehouses and Commodity Exchange Commission”.
Fanwo said the Government of Kogi State is ready to leverage the strategic location of the state for maximum commercial benefits, saying the Ultra Modern Market will turn Kogi to the commercial hub of Nigeria when completed.
“It’s not like the normal market that Nigerians are used to”, he said, maintaining that “the model will be copied by many other States”.
He urged traders across Lokoja and its environs not to nurse any fear as the Government will ensure a “smooth transition to the new market when completed without taking a negative toll on the traders.”
