In the face of a shrinking federal purse, efforts to confront the abandoned Kabba-Egbe-Ilorin road using alternative models have gained track.

Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, has reportedly parleyed the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, and following a series of lobbying, palliative repairs have commenced on the portions between Mopamuro and Yagba West local councils.

Also attributed to the latest rapport, The Guardian gathered, is the inclusion of Kabba-Egbe road axis in the special palliative repair programme initiated by the minister to ensure ailing roads nationwide are motorable until funding is available for reconstruction.

Umahi had announced that the palliative work on all failed federal roads would commence on December 1, 2023.

“Due to the relationship between Karimi and Umahi, bad sections of the road from Kabba to Egbe have been earmarked for special palliative repairs while talks are ongoing for alternative funding for complete reconstruction,” a source told The Guardian.

The source revealed that Karimi, accompanied by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Ali Ndume, met with Umahi last Wednesday in Abuja in continuation of discussions on the road.

Part of the arrangement, it was gathered, involved concessioning the road project to a private company. The concessionaire is expected to handle the construction of the road from Ejiba to Ilorin on zero tax basis.

“It is a palliative job. Lump sum is provided for award of quick-wins for rehabilitation during the dry season.

“The road is in the 2024 appropriation bill, but with little money from the Ministry of Works, efforts, through lobby, have been made to increase the amount to be appropriated in the 2024 Appropriation Act,” the source added.