The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said that the Second Niger Bridge with four kilometres of work remaining will be delivered by 15th May 2023, two weeks to the end of President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Fashola disclosed this on Monday during a live appearance on Channels Television’s The 2023 Verdict.
Asked when the project will be delivered, he said, “What we expect is around the 15th of May, thereabout, is the timeline we have…. The bridge is finished; one side of the link road is completed. It remains four kilometres of work.”
On the ever-changing expected dates of delivery, the minister reiterated the role of “local circumstances”, such as the sit-at-home order every Monday for the last two years, which according to him have slowed down the work.
“If you look at the number of days we’ve lost over two years, you must factor it into some of these moving targets,” he said.
Fashola also stated that there are compensation issues people are not aware of, including the relocation of 132kVA transmission lines and a power shutdown.
“This government understands that this is a social investment, that government has to lead that investment. We have made that investment. The bridge is finished. The Onitsha side road is essentially finished. It’s the link road on the Asaba side [that’s left].”
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
