Months after the Mokwa Bridge in Niger State was washed away by flooding, President Bola Tinubu has approved N16.7 billion for its reconstruction.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the disclosure on Saturday in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, after a meeting with the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi.
Idris, who is currently leading a federal delegation on a three-day inspection of infrastructure projects and citizen engagement programmes across the South-East, said the approval reflected the administration’s responsiveness to urgent national infrastructure needs.
According to him, the Mokwa Bridge, which is a 10-span bridge, serves as a major artery for transportation and economic activities in Niger State and beyond.
‘We want to thank Mr. President and we want to thank the Honourable Minister of Works. David Umahi. We jointly discussed this and approached Mr. President, who graciously approved it.
‘It means a lot to the people. It’s N16.7bn to reconstruct the bridge — a 10-span bridge’, the minister was quoted as saying in a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim.
The statement noted that Idris underscored the strategic importance of the Mokwa Bridge in regional connectivity, especially for communities and businesses that rely on it for the movement of goods and people.
He praised the swift intervention of the Ministry of Works, saying, ‘His (Umahi’s) response was immediate and decisive. Experts were dispatched to assess the damage shortly after the bridge was washed away. This is music to the ears of the government and people of Niger State’.
In his remarks, Umahi described President Tinubu as a ‘compassionate and listening leader’ who remains committed to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure gaps.
‘The President approved the immediate reconstruction of the bridge as requested by the Honourable Minister. He graciously approved because of him’, Umahi said.
Umahi said, ‘The administration of President Bola Tinubu is determined to ensure that critical infrastructure across all geopolitical zones receives attention. What we are seeing is a government that listens, responds and acts swiftly to the needs of Nigerians’.
The minister also noted that the Mokwa Bridge project would not only restore transportation but also boost economic activities that had been affected since the collapse of the structure.
‘The swiftness with which the President responded shows that this government places priority on the welfare and wellbeing of the people. The bridge is not just a physical structure; it is a lifeline for communities and businesses. Its reconstruction will bring relief to thousands who depend on it daily’, he added.
