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From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The Federal Government has so far spent 157 billion out of the initial contract sum of N206 billion budgeted for the second River Niger bridge project even as major civil works in the bridge has been completed and ready for commissioning in October this year.
Minister for Finance , Hajia Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed who disclosed this yesterday in Onitsha while leading a federal government delegation from Abuja on inspection duty at the construction site of the bridge expressed satisfaction on the level of work done so far on the bridge describing it as an “iconic project”
‘Today we have been able to fund this project up to N157 billion out of the initial budget sum of N206bn and today I’m here to see where all these money is going into and also the significant thing today is that the two ends of the bridge have been linked up together and this is the final phase of the project and what is left is the finishing works of the bridge.’
‘I can now report to Mr President that I have seen where the N157 billion spent on this project has gone to and this project is very dear to Mr President and is designed to uplift the lives of people of the Southeast/south-South and we do hope that when this project comes on stream, it will ease traffic and also improve commerce , industry and the economy of the people of the South East and South South” she said.
She disclosed that the project is funded partly through the Presidential Infrastructural Development Fund used in also executing Ibadan and Kaduna express ways projects
Also speaking, Managing Director, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NS1A) , Mr Uche Orji said that the project is also partly funded by the agency and the federal government funds from the returned Abacha loot which was put to use in executing capital projects across the country.
Commenting on the project, Mr. Farouk Gumel, Chairman, NSIA said “The Board is pleased with the quality and pace of work. Undoubtedly, the 2nd Niger Bridge is a vital piece of national infrastructure. At completion, we expect that it will serve as an enabler to cross-regional economic activities and stimulate growth on a national scale”
At the Onitsha – Owerri interchange the Controller Federal Ministry of Works, Engr Adeyemo Ajani said that the first phase of the project which is the interchange has gotten to its conclusion adding that the road is 46.9 km linking the Asaba end of the second Niger bridge to Onitsha.
Ajani noted that the interchange was aimed at decongesting the old Onitsha -:Owerri high way but lamented that the project would have been ready before now but for the soil quality of the area
