President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday commissioned the second Niger Bridge – the 1.6 kilometre bridge linking Asaba, Delta State with Onitsha, Anambra State and other South East states, which the Southeast governors announced has been named after the President. It was conceptualised in 2005.
In 2014, there was an attempt to begin the project through Public Private Partnership, but that was not successful. The construction began in 2016 with the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund. It was one of the seven legacy projects completed by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing across the country, which were commissioned on Tuesday.
President Buhari, who performed the commissioning via Zoom, said the bridge is one of the critical infrastructure delivered by his administration to fight poverty, promote economic growth and ensure progress for the people.
He noted that the bridge and other projects being commissioned symbolised his administration’s sharp focus on delivering prosperity across the country.
“I am honoured to hand over this bridge and other projects for public use. The bridge will reduce travel time and promote economic activities in the South East, South-South and other parts of the country.
“Those crossing the old Niger bridge will no longer experience gridlock as it will help to improve the socio-economic activities of the South-East. In eight years, I am proud to say that we have developed Nigeria’s stock of infrastructure of Gross Domestic Products from about 20 per cent to over 40 per cent and that is not a small undertaken”.
On the naming of the bridge after him, the President said he was not consulted before the decision.
Earlier, the Minister of Works and Hosuing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, who also joined the event via Zoom said: “This is a clear case of how infrastructure supports the people. It will take only a few minutes to cross the bridge of approximately 1.5 kilometre, travel time is reduced by 50 per cent. By this bridge, various properties in the area have appreciated.
“After consultation with the state governors and other critical stakeholders, we decided to name the bridge Muhammadu Buhari Bridge”.
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa said the bridge would help boost the nation’s economy and ease of doing business between Delta and Anambra states. Okowa, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Ovie Agas said that the second Niger Bridge would create jobs and enhance economic growth within the two states.
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo commended President Buhari for keeping to his campaign promises of completing and delivering the bridge to the people of South East. He said: “I am personally overjoyed. Today is a day of joy, we have come to express our gratitude. History is being made today, the people of the South-East have agitated, and we have complained about five key infrastructure projects.
“These five key projects, which were supposed to be a game changer to the economy of the South-East are the dredging of the River Niger, the second happens to be the second Niger bridge, the third is the expressway that will lead from Anambra directly to Lokoja and the fourth are the gas pipeline and the fifth obviously is the railway line.
“Of these five projects, it is our pleasure that we have come to tick good to one of them and a major one at that, and that is the 2n Niger Bridge”.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who represented President Buhari physically at the event, said: “Today is a great day for us. It is a day we have come together to rejoice. It is a promise given and a promise kept. This bridge signifies the major handshake between the West, East and the North.
“Successive governments have come and gone since 1965 when this second Niger Bridge was first muted, but Buhari’s administration has deemed it fit to complete the bridge. In every project, there must be a hero and a hero must be named after every project and the hero of this project is President Buhari”.
Managing Director of Julius Berger, Dr. Lars Richter said that it was an honour for them to be part of this success story of delivering the second Niger Bridge to the people of Delta and Anambra States.
The governors of Delta, Anambra and Imo States as well as traditional rulers and other dignitaries were present at the event.
Other legacy projects commissioned on Tuesday included two major bridges, three federal secretariats. The federal secretariat in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, was named after his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan.
These other projects are the Loko-Oweto Bridge across River Benue to link Benue to Nasarawa State and the Ikom Bridge in Cross River State. There is also the completed section of the over 200 kilometres of Kano-Kaduna Dual Carriage Expressway and three new Federal Secretariats.
The first of the Federal Secretariats at Awka is located at Executive Business District Layout, Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State and is situated on a 5.106 hectares of land. The project was first awarded on 9th December 2011 but was practically completed and taken over by the Ministry of Works and Housing on 14th July 2022.
The President also unveiled the N19.6 billion newly built headquarters of Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja. He went around the 12-floor tower during the unveiling, inspection and assessment of the facility.
Deputy Comptroller General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi said the facility, initiated in 2007, would boost the regulatory services of Nigeria Customs.
