Senate Moves to Rescue Collapsed Anyigba–Dekina–Shintaku Road

****Pushes for urgent re-award, inclusion in Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund and 2026 budget

The Senate has stepped in to rescue the abandoned Anyigba–Dekina–Shintaku Road in Kogi East, urging the Federal Government to urgently re-award the project and list it among key national priorities under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund.
The upper chamber’s resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Isah Jibrin (Kogi East), who described the road as a “lifeline artery” linking Kogi’s eastern communities to Lokoja, Abuja, and the Southeast and South-South regions — now reduced to a nightmare stretch of potholes and erosion.
“What was once a 40-minute drive in the 1980s has turned into a four-hour ordeal,” Jibrin lamented, warning that the deteriorating condition of the road has crippled trade, frustrated commuters, and stifled economic integration across the regions.
He recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the reconstruction of the road in January 2022, with the contract awarded to Tech Engineering Company Nigeria Limited, but the project was later revoked due to non-performance and has not been re-awarded since.
Jibrin urged the Federal Government to adopt innovative funding options such as Sukuk bonds and other special-purpose financing instruments to fast-track completion, while recommending tollgates at both ends to generate maintenance revenue after completion.
He also highlighted the economic potential of reviving the Lokoja–Shintaku waterway, which runs parallel to the route and could transform the corridor into a dual transport and commerce hub for the region.
Supporting the motion, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North) described it as a “national imperative,” while Senator Abba Moro (Benue South) drew attention to other long-abandoned road projects, urging that they receive similar attention.
After deliberations, the Senate unanimously resolved to urge the Federal Ministry of Works to re-award and expedite reconstruction of the Anyigba–Dekina–Shintaku Road, fund the project through special-purpose financing and include it in the 2026 Appropriation Bill; and incorporate tolling and water transport facilities to ensure sustainability.
The Senate Chief Whip, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, proposed that the project be captured under the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund — a motion that received full support from lawmakers across party lines.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended Senator Jibrin for his consistency and dedication to his constituency, describing his intervention as “an example of genuine representation and service.”
“This is how lawmakers should serve — by identifying real problems and pursuing real solutions. Senator Jibrin has shown what true representation means,” Akpabio said.
With the resolution, the Senate has set the stage for one of Kogi State’s most strategic but long-abandoned roads to finally receive federal attention, offering a glimmer of hope to thousands of commuters and businesses that depend on it.