A pastor, Batholomew Agbochenu, has built a bridge worth N9 million to link two villages in Ajitata community in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The bridge was inaugurated by the Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr. Daniel Ejigbo.
Pastor Agbochenu said he decided to construct the bridge to ease the hardship his people were being subjected to by gully erosion that divided the villages.
He said that Ojokweje and Ofobobo, who are among the six villages that constituted Ajitata community, became aliens to each other because of the devastating effects of gully erosion that made life unbearable.
The pastor , who spoke to our North Central correspondent in Lokoja said the people were being forced to travel five kilometres through other villages for them to cover a distance of about half a kilometer, because of the bad state of the road, to reach their destination.
Agbochenu said the road was the only access to the main local market where farmers from the community take their farm produce to sell.
He said the lack of access roads has heightened the poverty in the area due to reduced commercial activities.