Second Niger Bridge will be commissioned in 14 months — Jonathan

Jonathan at the construction site

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, assured the Igbo that the second Niger Bridge would be delivered within 14 months.

The president, who disclosed this in Onitsha during a courtesy call on the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, and also at the Holy Trinity, venue of the presidential campaign rally held in the city, expressed satisfaction on the progress of work at the Second Niger Bridge.

The president, who inspected work on the project before paying homage to the Obi in his palace, said he wanted to see the progress on the project before seeing the Obi so that he could disabuse his mind over reports by the opposition that work on the project had stopped.

Jonathan said: “I decided to inspect the Second Niger Bridge before coming because I was hearing stories that no work was going on; I said no and before I go to visit the Obi, I must see things by myself, I don’t want to be told.

“Your majesty, I’m quite impressed by the level of work going on. Of course, the total value of that project is N130 billion and being done through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) and managed by our Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).

“So far, N10 billion has been spent and, out of it, N1.5 billion was used   for paying for damages and others. In fact, the link road that is about three kilometres from the main road to the bridge, almost 80 percent of the road has been fixed.

“That alone is a major project, obviously work is going on there. For now, about 260 Nigerians and about 50 expatriates are working there.

“But when the work will be in full swing, we expect that it will give about 2,000 young men and women and about 60 expatriates.

“So, the major projects that will occupy a number of people to execute this project, we asked Julius Berger and the Minister of Works, and their commitment is that the project will be completed within 14 months. And they will surely do it.

“I join my chairman of the PDP, to say that God willing, when we come, we will commission that bridge”.

He applauded the support of the royal fathers for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – led government as well as the cooperation between the PDP and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Photos credit: @abati1990