Federal Govt Takes Over Completed 2nd Niger Bridge

Federal government has taken delivery of the completed 2nd Niger Bridge and stressed the need for prompt supervision of road projects.

The minister of works, Engr. Nweze David Umahi, received the handover of the completed bridge project and ancillary facilities from the contractor, Messr Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN) Plc on Sunday at the 2nd Niger Bridge toll station.

In a statement issued by his chief press secretary Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, the minister restated the government’s commitment to the delivery of enduring road infrastructure that conforms with the world best standard.

He said, “We are here to take over the completed works of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc on the 2nd Niger Bridge and some access roads. We are satisfied with the work done and which project circle was completed under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“We thank the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for doing a lot to bring this project to fruition and of course, my predecessor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who was the minister of works that handled this project.

“The job is impeccably beautiful and well completed,” he said.

Umahi added that in line with the new innovations of the president on road infrastructure, his ministry would ensure the installation of solar-powered light on the length of the completed project and ensure that the two interchanges of the bridges are completed.

The minister said he would also acquire more land through the state government to have service stations and ensure security on the road through the installation of CCTV cameras.

He stated that the ministry also plans to concession the project through the HDMI programme.

“We have the light issue and we shall put our heads together on how to have light permanently along the completed road, especially at night and we have agreed on a solar solution. The road project will be fully completed when we have completed the two interchanges. 

One is taking road users off from Asaba town so that if you are coming to this bridge, you don’t have to go through Asaba town to encounter vehicular traffic while the other one is to take road users off Onitsha town to avoid traffic, and it is when this is done that the entire job will be said to have been fully completed. Julius Berger and RCC have been respectively proposed to handle the jobs,” he said.

The director of Bridge Design and Construction, Federal Ministry of Works, Engr Obioha in his remarks thanked the federal government for working assiduously to ensure that the project was completed.

He said the ministry worked well with the contractor to ensure the project was completed on record time and hoped that the public would complement this federal government’s efforts by abiding by the rules of the road and helping to ensure the safety and protection of the installations along the road.

The managing director, Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN) Plc, Dr Las Ritcher, said the bridge was commissioned by the immediate past administration but there was need for a technical handover to the Federal Ministry of Works, hence the handover ceremony.

He expressed hope that the Federal Ministry of Works under Sen. Umahi who is known for his penchant for quality delivery of jobs would be satisfied with the quality of job done.