Ex-REA boss, Ohiare reveals developmental agenda for Kogi after guber screening

All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant from Kogi state, Sanusi Ohiare has promised to make the state the logistic hub of the country when elected as the governor of the state.

The frontline governorship aspirant made the promise on Saturday in Abuja after the screening by the APC committee ahead of the party’s primary slated for next month.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the exercise, Ohiare who was until February 17 an Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) said, if elected, his administration will leverage the geographic location of the state to turn its fortune around.

According to the governorship hopeful, “Kogi has certain advantages, for instance, the River Niger and River Benue used to be an old trade route. We have plans to work with the federal government and private sector to build an inland port. This inland port comes with a lot of other benefits and investments.

“We have a railway that runs between Itakpe and Warri, we will get it connected to Abuja, effectively to Kaduna and Kano and build an airport. The idea is to make Kogi the logistics hub of the country.

“Kogi can serve the northern part of the country in terms of business and trade. So, if we can do this, we have the Ajaokuta- Kaduna-Kano rail line that is being built and hopefully in the next year or so it will be ready.

“We want to tap into that to build industries along this route. This will help to generate jobs, it will help to increase our revenue.”

To his plan, Ohiare said efforts would be made to boost the state’s internally generated revenue.

He, however, said his intention was not to increase taxes but widen it “so we can get more people to pay taxes and of course use this money judiciously so that people can do what we are using the money to do in terms of infrastructure and their welfare.”