•L-R- Managing Director, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc in a handshake with the Minister of Works during a meeting with stakeholders on the Bodo-Bonny Road project in Abuja recently
Julius Berger has announced another successful collaboration with the Lagos State government – the 3.9km Opebi-Mende Link Bridge.
Its seasoned team is navigating challenging environmental factors with precision, employing cutting-edge methodologies to enhance soil stability for the delivery of a robust, enduring solution that reshapes the Odo Iya-Alaro swampy expanse into a high functioning hub of urban connectivity.
With the aim of providing relief to traffic congestion, Julius Berger is working with unwavering resolve to deliver a bridge that supports the continued progress of Lagos State and needed respite to commuters in the region.
Ahead the scheduled date for the kickoff of the ongoing Lagos-Opebi-Mende Road project by the leading engineering construction company, the client, Lagos State Government, moved to establish a smooth right of way for the construction of a befitting link bridge and related access roads and underpass in what the government described as a priority project.
With an agreed road length of 4.52km, pile depth of 40m, bored piles numbering 1,500 and a bridge structure of 640m in length, the government reasoned that an iconic project as the envisaged Opebi-Mende Link Bridge and approach roads would no doubt help to address the recurrent traffic and transportation hiccups on that axis.
The state government was to summarise it thus: “It is a known fact that the people are the ultimate beneficiaries of development projects like this. As promised, the State Government led by Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu will continue to take concrete steps toward ensuring the delivery of the dividends of democracy to our people. Evidently, this particular project, like many that have been executed across sectors, will add on as a good example of making life more abundant for the governed.”
On January 26, 2022, construction work on the project was flagged off amidst jubilation expressed and implied by residents who saw positive development coming to their doorsteps via the project, signalling a significant milestone in the implementation of a critical aspect of the state’s Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).
It is instructive to recall that the governor, who said the project is going to be one of his legacy projects, gave more insight into what all should expect at the end of the day.
Without attempting to belabour the issue, he said, the Link Bridge is aimed at easing the burden of commuters and decongesting traffic in the Ikeja axis and on Ikorodu road by providing a direct link between Opebi, Mende, Maryland and Ojota to Ikorodu road, reducing the perennial traffic on Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way, and setting precedence for Ojota commuters to link the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
It is further intended by the Lagos State government to instigate massive opening up of the entirely marshy and landlocked area between the largely industrial Opebi axis and the basically residential Ojota area.
The two settlements are seperated by the ever-busy Ikorodu Road, a dual carriage way that connects nearby Ogun State to the inner precincts of Lagos State.
Conceived over 20 years ago as the solution to traffic congestion within the Ikeja-Ojota axes, the project poses enormous construction challenges that only a company with the right experience and expertise can overcome.
The extremely challenging soil conditions, with soft peat reaching depths of 20 metres below existing ground necessitates massive sand filling to create a temporary working platform.
The LOM project is designed therefore to comprise of a number flyovers across the swampy area even as some roads are being constructed to intersperse the area below the intended flyovers before connecting the busy Ikorodu road and Opebi road thus relieving the recurrent traffic holdups on the busy Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way and Ikeja-Ojota road.
Julius Berger is bringing its expertise and professionalism to bear on the project which will be supported by 530 and 110-metre-long bridges and 50-meter-long mechanically stabilised earth-wall approach sections. The construction requires the application of 30-metre-long prestressed beams, with geotextile mechanically stabilized earth ramps, bored piles with diameter of 1500 mm, and a depth of 40 metres inside the swamp, using a spiral duct solution as permanent casing.
So far, with hundreds of Lagosians gainfully employed directly and indirectly and 65% of the job completed, the project manager, Dymitry Denysenko, remains optimistic that the LOM project will be delivered before the December 24, 2024 deadline.
He said: “we are working hard on the project. We know how important it is to our client, we know their expectations and we have no challenges. Whatever there is, it is manageable within professionally acceptable limits.
“We have completed so far: Opebi Road with only road marking and kerb painting outstanding; Maryland U-turn with only road marking and kerb painting outstanding. On the short bridge, only asphalt, streetlighting, road marking and kerb painting are outstanding; on the long bridge, only asphalt, road marking and kerb painting outstanding. The only two other critical areas that can be said to be ongoing are deck on pile works and connection to Ikorodu Road.”
Once completed, the new road will open into Ojota axis in Kosofe, diverting traffic from Opebi U-Turn and connecting to Ikorodu Road via an intersection that will be constructed under Odo Iya Alaro Bridge at Mende.
No doubt, that will be a major relief for commuters, alleviating traffic gridlock at Opebi, Mende, Maryland, Ojota and Mobolaji Bank-Anthony roads.
With the many shops of retailers of food and food related items as well as light vehicle and tricycle spare parts sellers and varied hawkers of goods and services springing up around the construction site, coupled with daily increasing house rents in the Opebi and Mende areas, Julius Berger and Lagos State government are doing great in taking development to the place.
By delivery date on December 24, 2024, it would be a joyous end of year moment for Lagosians.
Bodo-Bonny Road Project: Behind the news from the stakeholders meeting:
Community and Peace Committee members favour Julius Berger to complete the project
Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi and the Managing Director of Foremost engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dr. Lars Richter have both committed to ensuring the completion of the critical Bodo-Bonny Road, BBR project by year end. This is coming just as the minister suggested an additional N20billion augmentation fee to the contractor to cushion the effects of current economic realities in the country.
Speaking at the meeting, Umahi who was of the view that there was no need for any augmentation hoped that the additional amount N20bn which he announced there and then would assuage the contractor’s burden on the project.
The Minister reminded the stakeholders of the importance of the project to both the surrounding communities and the country, adding that when completed it will enhance development even as he gave the assurance to Bonny kingdom that the project will be completed by the end of 2024.
During his presentation, the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Engr. Dr. Lars Richter drew the attention of the Minister to the time lag when the contract was awarded in 2014 when the exchange rate was N305 to a dollar, adding that the cost of relevant construction materials have since risen by over 1000%. Richter called for the variation of the contract which he said has become necessary in view of the declining value of the Naira and rising cost of construction materials in the country.
He said, I thank you all for coming and for giving me this opportunity to share more light on the project. Allow me to give you some insight from us on this project. This project was initiated in 2013 and today we are talking of 2024, which means the project is more than 11 years old. In 2014, we received the letter of award and the project couldn’t commerce. Then in 2017/2018, the NLNG stepped in with the infrastructure tax credit scheme for modalities in funding the project.
Lars said the company asked for the augmentation because as at the time the contract was drafted it was based on the exchange rate of N305. “And last year there were some developments in the economy which result to a huge change in prices of construction materials, diesel, among others. When we signed this project, we were talking of N142 per Liter for diesel. But today we are buying diesel for N1500/N1600 per Liter. In 2013 the price of bitumen is far cheaper than today that we buy the bitumen for N1.2 million.”
Contrary to media reports and details of the meeting that went viral Thursday, insiders confirmed that the augmentation fee requested by Julius Berger is N80bn and not N28bn as in the quote from the ministry which says the company requested only that amount.
According to BusinessDay newspaper in its report, “David Umahi, the minister of works disclosed this during a meeting with contractors and the peace committee on the project from Bonny Kingdom, in Abuja on Wednesday. He stated that the government do not have the funds to meet the N28 billion request made by the contractor (Julius Berger company).”
One stakeholder was quick to remark that, there is the urgent need to clarify how much the augmentation fee really is. He asked, is it N80bn or N28bn?
The stakeholder who vowed to formally disclose the facts and fictions of the media reports on the meeting said the facts as stated by Dr. Lars Richter in his speech at the occasion include the following; the original contract sum was N199bn. The company requested in August 2023 for augmentation of N289bn. By March 2024 a discount of approximately N10bn was given to bring the amount down to N279bn.
The representatives of the Community and Peace Committee also present at the meeting were very much in favour of Julius Berger completing the contract and commended the company on its progress, engagement of the community and social responsibility among others since the first inception of the Bonny NLNG plant and the subsequent commencement of the road project.
Leader of the Peace Committee delegates, Chief Abel Attoni expressed gratitude over the decision to complete the Bodo-Bonny Road project even as he urged the parties to be patriotic and make the necessary sacrifice for the actualisation of the project.
One of them, King Jasper Jumbo did not mince words in declaring that, Julius Berger used to be my biggest enemy, but with all the engagement they have been into since the Bodo-Bonny road project began, I have loved them and their commitment to the work. The federal government should ensure Julius Berger complete the road. And I want to see the road delivered in my life time.
Surprisingly too, the Bodo-Bonny Road project as at March, 2024 is only 65% completed as against the 80% being touted by ministry officials as stated by Dr. Lars Richter and confirmed by the committee constituted by Minister of Works within the Federal Ministry of Works including external Consultants, PEARL & NLNG
The 39 km long road is the first road link between Bonny Island to the rest of Rivers State. The road has cross culverts and two mini bridges with a span of 23m each as well as two creek bridges, Afa Creek Bridge of about 530m length and Nanabie Creek Bridge of about 640m length, in addition to the construction of a major river bridge of about 750m length over the Opobo Channel.