Second Niger bridge ‘ready in four years’

President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed that the second Niger bridge, for which the federal government has already spent N10 billion, will be reading in 48 months.

Speaking in Asaba, Delta state, on Saturday when he stopped over at the project site on his way to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign in Onitsha, Anambra state, the president said the big project was being executed under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

“Now that it has taken off, the execution would go on smoothly and uninterrupted through the 48 months completion period,” he said.

“So far, out of the N130 billion total cost of the project, we have spent about N10 billion. It is a big project and now that it has taken off, it will go on and I am quite impressed with what I have seen.”

He added that most components required for the construction had been procured and piling work had commenced.

Mike Onolomemen, the minister of works, said a lot had been done since the flag-off of the project in March 2014.

Onolememen said the contracting firm, Julius Berger Nigeria, was engaged because of its antecedents, adding that almost all the procurements for the construction of the bridge were imported.

According to him, works are in progress with the piles being driven into the ground and dredging going on along the River Niger.

“For us, it is a thing of joy and certainly before the next raining season, a lot of piles would have been driven in. No doubt, development of infrastructure takes a long time,” he said,

Detler Lubasch, managing director of Julius Berger, said work on the project would be sustained.

Lubasch said the project would be of enormous social and economic benefits and significance to the country.

Jonathan was accompanied to the project site by Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra state.