FG says Second Niger Bridge will be delivered Nov. 2022

By Maureen Ikpeama

Federal Government has said that the Second Niger Bridge, which is  under construction is currently at 78 per cent completion and hopefully, would be delivered by November, 2022.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known on Thursday in Lagos.

According to him, the ongoing work on the bridge consisted of the construction of a 1.59kilometre bridge and 10.3kilometre approach roads.The total length of the Main Work is 11.90km while the bridge and approach roads are 2×3 lane expressways.

“Other ancillary works include the construction of two secondary bridges at Oko Amakun (21.70m) and Atani Road (21.70m).

“Also to be constructed is a new cloverleaf interchange at Onitsha-Owerri Road while several culverts and drainage structures will also be constructed,’’ he said

The minister  said various highways and bridge projects at various stages of completion were ongoing across the six-geopolitical zones of the country.

He said the 360-meter bridge at Ikom in Cross River State and 400-meter border bridge between Nigeria and Cameroon at Mfum and Ekok, were respectively completed in 2021 and awaiting commissioning.

Mohammed said the Buhari administration distinguished itself in the provision of key infrastructure important to the growth and development of the economy.

The minister listed some of the projects carried out in 2021 by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to include the Nnewi-Uduma Road, Sections I and II (26.27km) in Enugu and Ebonyi States.

Also in the list were the Kano-Maiduguri Road Section II (100.08KM), (Shuwarin-Azare) in Jigawa and Bauchi States and Kano-Maiduguri Road Section III (Azare-Potiskum) 106.34km in Bauchi and Yobe States.

Others were the Vandeikya-Obudu Cattle Ranch Road Phase I and II (24km) in Benue and Cross River States and Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Kontagora-Makera Road (304km).

The minister said government created Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) to ensure private sector participation management and development of federal road network,

He explained that out of the total length of the federal road network of about 35,000km, the first phase of the proposed HDMI would cover a total length of about 1,963.24km.

“Most of the ongoing projects of the ministry, especially the Highways Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), are already attracting massive infrastructural investment.

“It is envisaged that over a trillion-naira direct investment will be mobilised in the first phase of the HDMI,’’ he said.

Mohammed noted that the policies, programmes and projects of government in the sector had contributed to stabilising the macro-economic situation of the country, particularly in job creation.

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