THE Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Wednesday said that the 2nd Niger Bridge which has been temporarily opened to traffic today (15/12/2023) was constructed with recovered looted funds and investment income from the country’s oil assets.
The Minister, who spoke after inspecting the bridge at both the Anambra and Delta sides, said President Muhammadu Buhari administration was committed to completing the bridge no matter what it would cost, adding that the result is what the whole world is seeing.
According to the Minister, the bridge would be open from 12 midnight today to January 15, 2023.
Information released by the construction company, Julius Berger, showed that the bridge is not yet suitable for heavy duty vehicles due to small turning radius at the Obosi end.
There is also heavy duty restriction banners on the bridge to ensure that only light vehicles use it, just as there would be crash barriers on the Asaba- Onitsha expressway to avoid traffic u- turn that could cause congestion.
Fashola, who described the bridge as one major poverty reduction index achieved by the Buhari administration, observed that it would reduce the long time spent on the old bridge.
“With this bridge, it takes just few minutes to cross from Asaba to Onitsja so that people can go and do more productive things”, he said.
The Minister, however, said there are still a few things to be done at the Obosi interchange and at the Asaba end, stating that “our decision is, it is motorable, let us open it to reduce people’s suffering this period”.
He observed that the construction of the bridge had helped to boost people’s income in the area, noting that the value of property on both sides had suddenly increased by over 40 percent.
He reminded road users that it would be counterproductive if they become reckless and attract unnecessary mishaps upon themselves and others.
He said,” The maximum speed limit on Nigerian roads is 100km per hour. Don’t drive 101km per hour. The president will be happy to see users drive safely and responsibly while using this bridge, especially during this Christmas and new year seasons”.
