2027 Agenda Setting for Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho: A call for completion of Bagana-Guto Bridge

By Atekojo Samson Usman

The long abandoned 1.3 kilometre dual carriage bridge that connect Bagana in Omala Local Government Council and Guto in Nasarawa remain a strategic infrastructure that should receive a high level legislative attention at the Senate and the House of Representatives. Despite the unfortunate abandonment since 2008, the project which was intentionally conceived to link Kogi and Nasarawa States remain a shorter route between northern and southern Nigeria.

As the 2027 general election approaches, it wouldn’t be out of place to delve into critical thinking of what could be done, the possibility of doing it, the opportunity and privileges of doing it, hence, it should be seen as a task and a bait laid before Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho, representing Kogi East Senatorial District.

The project though abandoned for reasons that may not be expressed in this piece, its value goes beyond Nasarawa and Kogi States to the entire South East and South South regions of the country and of all the benefitting States, Kogi East stand out as a major beneficiary. The project was originally a Public Private Partnership (PPP), a government policy that was active at the time the bridge would have been constructed particularly in 2008 when contractors were mobilised to site.

Whatever reasons were responsible for the abandonment of such a strategic infrastructure, this should be seen as an agenda setting for the lawmaker, for if, he returns as a ranking Senator representing the Eastern zone of Kogi State in 2027, his return goes with massive privileges as a ranking lawmaker cum principal officer of the 11th Senate, and as it were, one reasonably believes in lobbying and rightly too, the connection at the top echelon of lawmakers to reactivate the project.

Anyone conversant with legislative environment will reaslise that it’s one thing to get elected to the Senate, it’s another to perform by meeting the yearning of constituents as a ranking Senator or a first timer. The sentiment cannot be shied away.

The 11th Senate from May 2027 would be appropriate for legislative activities for the revisit of the project given that the 10th National Assembly has only one year before the election year and they may not have the luxury of time for the expected tortuous proceedings, even as implementation is also another huge challenge before the election.

The Bagana-Guto bridge started before the now completed Loko-Oweto bridge in Benue State and the completion in good time was made possible because David Mark was the Senate President and he had ears of the Federal Government at the time. Whereas the Loko-Oweto bridge via River Benue was 2.2 kilometre bridge, that of Bagana-Guto is 1.2 kilometre lesser. This means the project was not beyond the capacity of the Federal Government if there is a political will and in particular the revenue of the nation has improved tremendously.

Initially, the plan of the project has a two-year completion period and the possibility of revisiting the project in 2027 going forward, it could be completed and commissioned while the lawmaker is still in office to his credit and other lawmakers in the 11th Senate as well as Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It’s interesting to know that at the time the Loko-Oweto bridge was constructed, the cost amounted a whooping sum of N51 billion and this project was easily financed because of the strategic office that Senator David Mark occupied at the time.

By now, the 1.2 kilometre Bagana Guto bridge, though, lesser may double the cost of Loko-Oweto and in all honesty and sincerity, Kogi East need a “man of primus inter pares” to be able to handle this herculean task. Since 1999, no Senator from Kogi East was in the Senate for three consecutive times and this has been a deep disadvantage for the district and there can be no better time than now. This is not because it is Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho, it could have been someone else, hence, the Igala/Bassa Kingdom should think it wise to give this a trial by returning the lawmaker for the third term.

By implication, the bridge connects eleven States of the South East and South South with 33 Senators out of 109 of them. Moreso, a much ranking Senator would easily secure collaboration of his colleagues compared to a first timer when it comes to a high level lobbying.

No Senator from the South East and South South States would hesitate to collaborate and they all share the need for the bridge to be completed for a shorter route to the region.

2027 presents an opportunity for Kogi East to take a wise decision for a ‘stitch in time saves nigh’.

Atekojo Samson Usman, a political affairs and legislative matters analyst writes from Abuja and can be reached through: ateko2007@gmail.com