By Collins Vershima
The efforts of Sen. George Akume, Orker Jev, Hon.Kpam Jimin Sokpo and many stakeholders at nation building to bring development to the grassroots and improving sources of livelihoods in matching performance with promises to the electorate have seen the light of day, particularly with the good people of Buruku Federal Constituency and beyond with Hon. Kpam Jimin Sokpo’s bill for the inclusion of Buruku bridge contruction into Nigeria’s budget which has come into fruition given the recent approval awarded by the Tinubu Presidency with Sen. George Akume as the SGF, to kickstart the 87.3 billion Naira construction of the Buruku bridge crossing River Katsina-Ala in Benue State.
Hon. Kpam Jimin Sokpo disclosed to newsmen in a chat in Abuja that, as a Member of the 9th House of Representatives, representing Buruku Federal Constituency, he and many stakeholders worked tirelessly to enact an act for the inclusion of the Buruku bridge construction into the budget as his bill became a law for the construction of Buruku bridge in 2022 when it was first captured in FG’s budget.
“The statutory act for the approval of the construction of the Buruku bridge was delivered where I was the Reps Member of Buruku Federal Constituency as my bill on this had gone through the the third reading, enacted as an act that became a law.
The then Minister of Works Babatunde Raji Fashola got the approval firstly captured in the 2022 budget”.
Interestingly, David Umahi,the Minister of Works of the Tinubu led Federal Government with Sen. George Akume as the SGF disclosed shortly after the FEC meeting held on Monday,25th March,2024 that the Federal Government has approved the award of the construction of Buruku bridge across Katsina- Ala River in Benue worth over 83.7 billion Naira and other projects in the country.
Umahi, said these projects were approved by FEC having gone through the Bureau of Public Procurement and Certificates of No Objection secured
Whilst continuing in the media chat with our reporter, Hon. Kpam Jimin Sokpo emphasized that government is a continum, where he said the previous administration gave the approval under the watch of the erstwhile Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola,SAN for the construction of a bridge across River Katsina Ala at Buruku crossing and inclusion in the 2022 budget proposal.
Jimin Sokpo maintained that government is a continual process.
Sokpo stressed that many stakeholders like Sen. George Akume, Or ker Jev, and many public spirited citizens have contributed immensely in delivering the approval and award for the construction of the Buruku bridge by the FG.
Sokpo said:
“The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing with Babatunde Raji Fashola as Minister, had approved the Buruku bridge which Sen. Akume as a cabinet member in the Buhari led FG also gave his all , with Sen. Orker Jev raising concern in the red chamber when a ferry-boat capsized at the Buruku crossing”.
These efforts ,Sokpo said also gave filip to the enactment of a law for the inclusion of the Buruku bridge into the national budget when he was a lawmaker of the 9th National Assembly in the green chambers, where the FG handled the design in 2022, and procured consultants to finish the design in 2023 and the design process has been completed under the watch of David Umahi, Minister of Works, Sokpo stressed.
Hence , the declaration of the approval of award by the Tinubu led Federal Government with Sen. George Akume as SGF on Monday,25th March,2024 to kickstart the 87.3 billion Naira construction of the Buruku bridge crossing River Katsina-Ala in Benue State.
Earlier, Jimin Sokpo, as a member of the 9th House of Representatives, Buruku Federal Constituency
in a press release expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the approval of the construction of the Buruku bridge.
Hon. Sokpo stated this in 2022 .
“On behalf of the good people of Buruku Federal Constituency of Benue
State,whom I represent in the House of Representatives,I express my profound gratitude and the appreciation of my constituents on the approval given by Your Excellency through the Honourable Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, for the construction of a1.2km Bridge across River Katsina-Ala at Buruku Crossing and its inclusion in the 2022 Budget proposal for the Ministry.
In making a case for the inclusion of the Buruku bridge construction project into the national budget, Kpam Jimin Sokpo, the Engineer turned lawmaker said:
“The Buruku crossing has served as a major connection route between Nigeria’s North and South eastern regions through Taraba, to Cross River
and beyond, providing a platform for inter-communal trade for several decades. The crossing though strategic, has been the source of immeasurable anguish and strife,claiming thousands of lives and property
and destroying the livelihoods of many due to the absence of a bridge.
“For many years,users of the crossing have been the unfortunate victims of recurrent boat mishaps that have claimed several lives, notably, the wellknown fatalities of Seventeen(17)young people who lost their lives on 26th December,2013 and the drowning of over twenty(20)persons on
24th October,2018.
Hon. Jimin Sokpo ,the former federal lawmaker remains undoubtful about the transformative impact the completion of the Buruku bridge construction will bring to Nigerian economy.
Engr.Kpam Jimin Sokpo,
FNSE, the Honourable Member, who represented Buruku Federal Constituency at the 9th National Assembly sustains that government is a continum, and that the approval for the construction of the Buruku bridge is a legal framework that he did not deliver alone as some dividend of democracy to the good people of Buruku in his 4 years at the 9th House of Representatives of Nigeria’s parliament. Sokpo said many stakeholders in the previous and present administration worked for this realization.
Sokpo, acknowledges the profuse drive of Sen. George Akume, SGF, Orker Jev and many stakeholders he worked in acquiscance with, to bring this development to Benue into fruition, where neccessities today are not denied the masses for luxuries to the classes.
Hon. Kpam Jimin Sokpo urges the political class to ensure continuity with programs and reforms of predecesors as long as such programs guarantee the greatest good for all.
Meanwhile, Minister of Works, David Umahi disclosed that an approval was also given for the construction of 91.432 road Saki in Oyo State worth 144 billion Naira.
Umahi also stated that the FEC approved the stepping down of the road construction from Biu-Kanga-Gaya to the Border of Niger Republic costing about 158 billion Naira.
SKJ